October

October has always been one of my favorite months. The heat of summer is gradually cooling. Mom called this Sweater Weather, and I love the sweaters, sweatshirts, and light jackets of fall. I love the autumn leaves--and even raking them into piles. Pumpkins show up on doorsteps in October, and mums fill flower pots. Pumpkin patches are popular outings for families. While many people dislike pumpkin spice anything, I love pumpkin muffins and pumpkin lattes. Hot cider and crisp apples top my list of things to enjoy this month, too. I am ready for soups again: corn chowder, chili, vegetable, and chicken noodle. Yes, October is full of a lot of my favorite things. (Did I mention Candy Corn is in the stores again? Definite perk.)

Today, I switched my shoes from sandals to boots. I drug out the flannel pajama pants and sweatshirts. The flannel sheets are in the dryer. I won't put them on yet, but I want to be ready. So, if the temperature takes a nose dive one way or the other this next week--you can blame me. 

Photo: Girls weekend in the Ozarks 5 years ago. (Still one of my favorite fall photos.)

Saturday Musings

*Lip dub at Tiny Town High was great fun and a huge success.  The student body had a blast.  For the first time since the tornado, I felt like the old Tiny Town High spirit was back.  (It has been quite strange to see how the tornado and trailers affected school spirit.  And then I was surprised to see how the new buildings, as welcomed as they were, couldn't undo the damage to the morale of our students.)  They've already posted the lip dub on youtube.  The kids are pretty proud of it, and the end of it leaves me encouraged that Tiny Town spirit has come back from the dead!

*Yesterday, I met with the theater local who is occasionally helping me with the musical. He talked me through the whole show to see what is left to do, looked at some minor cuts to the music, and generally put my mind at ease.  He always leave me thinking that we are either right where we need to be or a bit ahead.  Bless his heart!

*I didn't wake up once last night, which means I didn't worry about the musical all night!  Woo hoo!

*Today, I am taking it easy.  Baxter and I are hanging out.  L is at work in Big City.  K's in-laws are in town to hang out with Lady Bug, and the Mr. has a big sale going on.  If (and that's a big "if") I feel ambitious, I might drag out the bike.

I snitched this photo of the Bug from her mama's facebook page.  Couldn't resist!

An empty October Saturday-- God must have known I needed one.  (And I hear a freeze is coming.  I'm pretty sure He is looking out for me!)

October 1st

Happy October!  I love this month:  cooler temperatures, pumpkins, and all things home.  This is the time of year when I just want to hibernate, except that it is so pretty outside that I don't want to miss the golden peach landscape or skies. 

October also happens to be Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  So, today I celebrate two of my favorite blogs.  If you're a regular reader, you know exactly where I'm headed.  If you're new, you don't know what you've been missing!

You will never view Down Syndrome the same after you visit Pudge and Biggs.  Life is one long celebration at their house.  A mom (former student), dad, and two toddlers and a dog or two provide most of the entertainment in my blog world.  It is a rare day when I don't leave their blog smiling. 

Dandy over at Spontaneous Clapping is a breast cancer survivor.  She's young.  She is just getting ready to celebrate her 2nd anniversary with her adorable husband, AND she has a one year old son.  Her ride through this life has been quite an adventure--and a stylish adventure at that!  No one does things quite the way that Dandy does.  She inspires.

I've written about both of these bloggers before.  I'm sure I'll write about them again.  These are two bloggers who have grabbed life by the horns and are hanging on for an incredible ride.  They challenge me to do the same.

Happy October.  Happy Celebrate the Life You've Been Given Month!

That Time of Year Thou Mayst In Me Behold

I'm pretty sure that Shakespeare wasn't talking about the time of year that I am beholding.

My contacts are driving me nuts.  I may have to switch to glasses.  My nose is stuffy, and my lips itch.  Genius that I am, I'm pretty sure "that time of year" is allergy season.  Argh!!

Bring on the first freeze of the year!

Beautiful Fall Days

We have been fortunate to have a beautiful fall weekend:
*big fat pumpkins
*pots of chrysanthemums
*crisp red apples
*local craft fairs
*college football games
*cool temperatures
*bright blue skies
*falling leaves
*a slight breeze

 It's been a good weekend to go for a walk or a bike ride, order in pizza, sit on the back deck, take a nap, or dig out the Halloween decorations. Weekends like this remind me why fall is my favorite season of the year, and why I am so grateful to live in an area of the country with four distinct seasons.

Happy Fall, Y'all!

I Love Fall

Except for:

the runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, and headache. 

Yeah, other than that--it's great!

Now, could you please pass the Claritin?

A Sign of the Times

Yesterday was August 4th.  It doesn't matter on Easy Street.  I went ahead and dragged the pumpkins and scarecrows out of storage.  We are now decorated for Fall.  I knew if I didn't do it before school started, it wouldn't get done.

To my credit, I didn't bring out the jack-o-lanterns-- yet.  Last year, I never did get them out.  Once school starts, things get crazy.  We'll see if I can get them up before Halloween this year.

I'm actually ready for a new school year.  Well, at least mentally.  I still have a lot of things to do before the first sophomores walk in my room.

Call me crazy, but I swear there is a smell of autumn in the air.  (And yes, I know 110 degree temperatures don't normally make someone think of Fall.)  Maybe our pumpkins and scarecrows will confuse the weather into sending some cool relief.  At least we can hope!

This Month

September is...

cooler temperatures (well, I can hope!)
Friday night football games and game day Saturdays
crisp apples and apple cider
the first bowl of chili of the season
tailgates
hometown Labor Day celebrations
swimming pools closing
school buses and crossing guards
turning off the air and opening the windows
the first day of fall
ragweed and allergies
cross country meets
turning leaves
warm days and cool nights
one of my favorite months

This September promises to be a good one.  Our church should be open again by the end of the month.  The rebuilding is almost complete.  The stained glass windows are in.  We're just waiting on the pews. 

K and CT will be married and moving to Tiny Town by the end of the month, so I will gain another running/walking buddy.  Baxter, the shih poo pup, will have a new friend, too:  Khallie, their black lab, who uses her paw to push him down when he irritates her too much.  Bax gets the paw a lot!

"Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow." 

OK.  So maybe we won't be slow and mellow, but it still promises to be a great month.

Sweet Jobs and A Division of Labor

When the tree in the front yard starts to look like this--you can bet that the ground under the tree looks like this! Our carpet of leaves is about four inches deep. The good thing: you can't mow when there is this much raking to do!

I hate mowing the lawn. The Mr. usually gets stuck having to mow and use the weed eater. I'm good at sweeping off the steps or the patio when he finishes the mowing. I also make a mean glass of ice water for hydration and refreshment. It's a gift!

My yard work is the raking and snow shoveling. I am very territorial where those jobs are concerned. Don't touch my rake or shovel. Keep that darn leaf blower to yourself!

I've had perfect raking weather the last couple of days. These cool temperatures make me look forward to an hour or so of raking every night after school.

We have a huge pile of leaves lining our drive. I've discovered that under the leaves, we don't have much lawn. (The Mr.'s been mowing weeds?!) We could use a disguise. Green spray paint? I'm beginning to wonder if I could spread the leaves back over the yard--kind of like a toupee for the lawn! We really need to plant grass next spring.

Now we're waiting for the city to collect our leaves or for a big wind to disperse them-- whichever comes first. Right now, my money is on the wind. (The city doesn't like backing up our hill.)

Actually, we'll probably burn the leaves over the next couple of evenings. I know it isn't the best for the environment, but I love the smell of burning leaves. That's the smell of fall!

I'm pretty sure the Mr. will feel the need to do the burning. There are a few pyro tendencies in my family that he doesn't want to encourage. I have one brother who doesn't think there is anything better than a fire. It's a good thing that Dad needs to burn pastures every spring and brush piles from time to time. The Bro gets his "fix" often enough that he uses his pyro tendencies for good rather than evil.

Now that the raking is just about over, bring on the snow! I've got the shovel all polished up and ready to go.

Ah, November...

November is...

raking leaves, bonfires, scraping frost, turkey and dressing, hunting season, cranberries, hot apple cider, cornucopias, college football, Macy's Day parade, Thanksgiving at the farm or at the Mr.'s cousins, bare trees, dark evenings, harvest moons, holiday decorating, Black Friday, scarves and gloves, K's birthday, soups, snuggling under the electric blanket, Santa's first visit of the season...

Feel free to add your own.

I love November. It must be the Puritan in me. It reminds me of these lines from Elinor Wylie's Puritan Sonnet:

I love the look, austere, immaculate,
Of landscapes drawn in pearly monotones.
There's something in my very bones that owns,
Bare hills, cold silver on a slate of gray...

Wylie was probably talking about the winter, but I've always associated this poem with the month of November: gray, bare, and cold.

As much as I love November, the time change always throws us off a bit. The darkness at 5:30 takes some getting used to. Hibernation comes to mind. Maybe by Thanksgiving we will have all the clocks in the house changed. Who knew a household could have so many darned clocks?

October Blur

The blurriness of this picture almost made me delete it. I couldn't. They braved walking the hill. All energy and motion, the kids come and go so fast.

Trick or Treat!

I think Mickey might be sampling the loot! And the little sis couldn't be left out of the fun.

We had balmy weather for our trick or treaters. They were pretty cute: the fisherman, cheerleader, wrestler, chef, witch, lady bugs, a couple of Minnie Mouses, Mickey, and Dorothy from Oz. Even a high schooler brought me a couple of empty rolls of toilet paper. (No paper in my yard. I checked!) I'd have been worried, but his folks and little sister were with him. He is new to Trailer High this year, and they moved in just up the street. Great kid. Nice family.

I was going to give leaves instead of candy. We have a lot of leaves! I think I know what I am going to be doing this week. Strange to admit, but I like raking leaves; I especially like it if there is a bit of chill in the air.

L was home for the weekend. We walked at a park and had lunch and coffee at a sandwich shop in J town. She wanted to see the kids in costumes and watch U town football with her dad.

Meanwhile, K is in Philadelphia. (I know, L was just there last week to see "the boy.") K has a conference for the next few days, and she is excited to see the city. She hasn't been there before. And she made plans to have lunch with "the boy." (L might not have a single secret left after she gets through!)

Our girls travel all over, while the Mr. and I are lucky to have time for grocery shopping in J town. I'd say it isn't fair, but then the girls would just say, "Life isn't fair. Get over it." I think I spent most of their teen years saying that. I hate when they can use your words against you!

Fall Blessings

I have always loved fall. Vivid colors are a delight.
The cool days and sunshine are my kind of weather.
Even the rainy days give time for reflection.

You can't beat fall holidays with costumes and candy!

Behold the great pumpkin:

Cinderella's carriage

Jack O'Lanterns

Pie, Breads, Bars

and a new favorite-

Pumpkin Blizzards!

This ad not paid for by DQ.

October Cool Down

After a windy, windy (!) couple of days, the weather is supposed to be beautiful (cool and sunny) all weekend. I am looking forward to a long bike ride. The trees are turning and the fall flowers in town are beautiful! Yesterday, temperature forecasts had me scrambling to move my mandevilla and a couple of geraniums into the school greenhouse. Hopefully, they will not only survive the winter, but I think our student horticulturists are going to take some cuttings off of them for potting and selling next spring. (Sharing the wealth!)

_

I guess now that the plants are moved in for the winter, it is time for me to put away the summer clothes, flip flops, and sandals. Electric blanket, here I come!

A Rose and a Thorn

I love the Midwest! I don't think I could ever live somewhere that didn't have four distinct seasons. This fall is particularly gorgeous. The only downside is pollen and ragweed. I have been congested and had an earache and headache for a week now. I finally broke down and went to the doctor. We'll see if his prescription works. This beautiful fall comes with a price tag--allergies. I guess some of us think it is worth it!

That Time of Year

This is my favorite time of year. I love late summer and early fall. The days are still warm and sunny, but the evenings are cool. I had a grandmother who called this "sweater weather."

And these are the things I love about fall in the Midwest:

• pumpkins and sunflowers
• Friday Football nights, cheering on the hometown boys
• blue jeans and boots
• flannel sheets
• turning leaves
• early morning fog along the river
• cool, early morning runs
• smelling woodsmoke in the air
• homemade soups
• crisp, crunchy apples
• scarecrows keeping watch

Fall isn't here yet, but its coming. I can feel it. I can catch a whiff of it in the air. The pumpkins and sunflowers are doing their part. The cooler evenings have arrived. The calendar may still say August, but it won't be long now. The flannel sheets are waiting patiently. And I'm trying to wait patiently, too.

Fall in Our Town

I've always loved fall in this town. Our tree-lined streets have always been so pretty. This year isn't quite the same. The tornado took a lot of our tallest, oldest trees. In fact, we looked like a war zone most of the summer. For months I couldn't make myself walk, run, or bike here. It was too depressing for words. So, we'd jump in the car and head to a pond path in a town near here or out to a River Trail. Gradually, things are beginning to look a little more normal. I still haven't gone for many bike rides, but I run or walk at 5 AM and since it is dark...it seems almost like old times.

Last Sunday I took pictures of the trees on 9th street. The trees are turning and our street looks like it always has. If you go another block or two, it is another story. However, I did discover that we now have a skyline. Coming down the Golf Course Hill, you can see the whole town now. It may not be New York, but I love that view.