My cute dog Sherlock 
Photo Friday: Woods Canyon Lake
Tag: Autumn
Creating Autumn
It’s finally, officially, autumn. My season. Ahhh. In September I typically feel a sense of relief of having survived another desert summer. But let me start this by saying we are still having days in the high 90’s here. So I am not sure I can say with certainty that I have survived it yet!
I am doing my best to be excited about creating my own version of fall. I hung nine, yes nine, leaf garlands around the house. It looked like autumn outside (even if it was 92° during the day) as beautiful blue-gray clouds built to the south and moved north to the mountains. We had a marvelous storm while I decided where to put a few strings of orange lights. Thunder, heavy rain, wind and small hail. A dark and stormy afternoon, perfect for autumn decorating!
I have switched over to my “autumn” wardrobe: summer weight but in fall colors. As I write I am wearing oatmeal colored linen capris with a heather pine green (or is it forest green?) 3/4 sleeve shirt. I wear lots of orange and burgundy and browns. I bought two new “Life is Good” t-shirts with autumn themes. They are both short sleeve and oddly, dark blue. I also bought two long-sleeve shirts (one beige and one purple), of which I wore the beige “Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice) to the movies on Friday. (I figured correctly it would be cold enough inside the mall for long sleeves.)
Something else I have been doing is searching for books set in autumn. I found this website and requested a few books from the library. Mentally I will be amidst colorful leaves, brisk breezes and sweaters.
On the eating front we are not ready for soups, stews and chili but I am making pumpkin-cheesecake muffins for bowling tomorrow. And we are starting to eat more pork and turkey (cutlets and tenderloins, not roasting whole turkeys, that would be crazy in this heat!) and the first batch of homemade applesauce from the freezer. I have found adding a few dried cranberries to salad, granola, a baked yam or pretty much anything “autumns it up”. 🙂
We have our trip to the corn maze/pumpkin patch and more apple picking scheduled. My son has the last Monday in September off from school so my husband took it off from work too. We like to go when it is less crowded and in the past we have found weekends in October to be rather nuts.
We also have our camping trip planned for mid-October, I can’t wait. We will definitely be taking chili and soup on the trip. Even if the days are warm the nights should still be cool up at 7000′.
I am still walking on the treadmill most days (like right now while I type) but more often I watch Youtube videos of autumn walks. I turn my high velocity fan on creating an autumnal breeze and keep myself cool at the same time.
I have been enjoying making this banner for fall:
And taking my list from this post and making it into a pretty bucket list:
One last project. I decided to participate in the Brooklyn Art Library Pen Pal Painting Exchange. I love it because really no talent is required 🙂 . Here is my 4 x 4 painting:
So there you have it, how to create autumn in the desert 101. I think I’ll go have some cranberry juice in my new mug.
HAPPY FALL Y’ALL!
My Birthday
Today is my Birthday! Yes, Happy Birthday to me!
It is no secret that autumn, by far, is my favorite season. I love everything about it! Just recently I realized that I am in the “autumn” of my life:
- still colorful, if a bit muted
- happy to take things a little slower, but not interested in a full stop
- content to go to bed with my book at night
- small, quiet moments fill my heart with joy
- I love savoring life with all five senses
- learning (finally) that it is not hard to be happy
- the satisfaction of my life is secure in my heart
To celebrate, today I am treating myself to a trip to the movie theater to see “Downton Abbey”. I have opted to go alone (and skip the pain of spouse and child complaining) and during the day. This leaves the evening free for said spouse and child to plan dinner and cake.
The movie theater is in the mall, I bought a ticket on-line and have my reserved seat. I may stop at the candy store in the mall and pick out a few sweet nibbles. I am a planner, no leaving ticket availability to chance! So I am all set to enjoy my day.
(In case you were wondering I believe the “winter” of my life will start somewhere between 70 and 75 years of age.) I hope you are enjoying whatever season of life you are in!
Good Things Thursday: Autumn
If one can be homesick for a season then I am homesick for autumn. I know it isn’t “officially” here yet but I even miss the anticipation of fall. There is little for me to love about living here in the desert southwest but this is by far the worst time of the year for me. In the next week or so I’ll break out my leaf garlands and pumpkin decorations and do my best to create autumn inside my home.
But I can’t change the triple digit heat outside. I can’t make it really feel like autumn. I can’t create that crisp, fragrant air or conjure up a maple tree with flaming red leaves outside my window. I can’t wear long sleeves. And that makes me sad.
So today I am going to create autumn in my head and heart. This is a spontaneously generated list of all the things I love about autumn:
- chilly air
- the low angle of the sun
- watching football
- pumpkin chili
- chocolate chip pumpkin muffins
- colorful leaves
- the sound of the breeze in the trees
- hot tea on a cold morning
- the smell of apples and cinnamon
- picking apples
- meandering in a corn maze
- making pies and applesauce
- candles flickering in drafts
- apple cider
- wearing long sleeves
- cardigan sweaters
- cold, gray, rainy days
- tomato soup and grilled cheese
- that special shade of blue the sky is in October
- reading a good book under an afghan
- Movies set in autumn (like “Step-Mom” and “You’ve Got Mail” and “Hocus Pocus”)
- Thanksgiving (my favorite holiday!)
Looking at the list I realize I can actually experience most of these. And I bought two new short sleeve autumn themed shirts from Life is Good so I can wear “autumn” shirts. I have a camping trip planned in October which should give me a taste of cool air, colorful leaves and the joy of evening campfires and hot tea in the morning. Not a perfect solution but better than nothing.
Just like that I feel better. 😊
The In-Between Time
I always feel a little off balance this time of year. Thanksgiving weekend is over but I am not ready to jump into Christmas. I prefer to wait until 1 December to go all holiday.
It is hard for me to let go of autumn, it is my favorite season. I love the angle of the light and the smells and the leaves.
Christmas is a lot of work, a marathon of busyness. I am already looking at what I can cut from the to-do list, scaling back the baking list and thinking about where I can trim back on the decorating. I look at the calendar and make sure I schedule downtime, movie time, early bedtime.
For this week I am deep breathing and sitting and contemplating. I am focusing on how I want to feel over the next month, not what I want/need to accomplish. I remind myself that I need to enjoy the process. There is no sense in baking/wrapping/decorating if I am hating doing it. I need to keep things manageable.
I need to take care of myself. You need to take care of yourself too. Take some time this week to remember what is important to you. And keep that in your thoughts as you shop, cook, wrap and decorate.
Happy last week of November everyone!
Photo Friday (Veteran’s Day)
I know when you hear “Veteran’s Day” you expect photos of flags, parades or Veterans. But we celebrate Veteran’s Day by going hiking at Madera Canyon. Since my husband and I are both veterans we feel we can celebrate however we want. And for me the freedom to go find a taste of autumn is what makes me happy. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t remember the sacrifices so many have made for me to have the freedoms that I do. My heart is filled with all those who served, voluntarily and involuntarily over the course of the years. A hike may not be a traditional way to honor those who served but it is my way.
We hiked the Carrie Nation trail. Only three miles but a steep, rocky climb. We got to scuff through leaves!
Nice and chilly and we found some beautiful color.
Another part of the tradition is hot cocoa and cookies at the end of our hike. Always the same cookie, oatmeal with reese’s pieces, more fall color!
Okay, here is a picture of a veteran! I am always curious as to what bloggers look like and if they have a picture how current it is…so here I am! (Photo taken by my guy down below.)
Photo Friday: How Many….
…leaf garlands does it take to make a house look autumnal in the desert southwest?
Let’s start with the kitchen, one above each window and two under the cabinets.
Two in the family room.
One in the dining room.
One at the top of my bedroom closet.
And two in the upstairs hallway overlooking the living/dining room.
And one in front of my south facing office window that would be really hard to take a picture of. That makes a grand total of eleven. So the answer is it takes eleven leaf garlands to bring autumn to the southwest.
Keep Your Focus!
Mostly Pictures, Few Words
Outside, Autumn won’t arrive here for awhile yet. But inside….
Picture I colored to put in my son’s lunch on Friday.
There is plenty more autumn in my home but you get the idea. (If you want to see a few more pictures check out the Pretending it is Autumn post.)
WELCOME AUTUMN!
Looking for Autumn in All the Wrong Places
I am impatient for autumn. I am always impatient for autumn. Hands down it is my favorite season. Even with Christmas looming I always feel a bit of a pang when I take all those colorful leaves down and pack up the pumpkins.
I also feel a bit off kilter this time of year. It is August, it is hot, it is very much still summer. But school has been in session a few weeks now. That is supposed to mean autumn is peeking around the corner. There should be a hint of frost in the early morning air, a crispness. But it will remain shorts weather well into October and some years even November. My poor brain has a hard time coping with this.
I seem to be doing a fair amount of on-line shopping lately. A replacement for snacking? (I hope not!) I look at my purchases and realize I am looking for autumn. I am excited to be getting ready for my son’s birthday and the upcoming holidays. And by holidays I mean Halloween and Thanksgiving. I have bought pajamas for my son for both holidays. It can be hard to find Thanksgiving jammies which baffles me. What are you supposed to wear while watching the parade and eating pancakes?
I have been buying fun Halloween candy, Ghost Poofs, how cool! A Halloween game and Halloween stampers for prizes at school. Okay, yes I also bought a set of stamps for my son and I to share.
I have also been buying sweaters and long sleeve shirts. What? I know it is crazy. My logic is I am looking for lightweight sweaters/shirts more suited to our pretend winter. And I have been stuck on the color gray for some reason. Six gray shirts I have bought this year. Two are for my sports teams, Miami Heat and the Denver Broncos. Now I am ready for January! My favorite find? A lightweight sweater with birds on it from The Vermont Country Store. Perfect fit, feel, super cute and on clearance! I can’t wait to wear it.
I know it is illogical but I am hoping for an actual cold winter this year. We had the hottest June and wettest July, is the snowiest January that farfetched? At the very least I want to be able to wear long sleeves (without sweating). I have to add that because I could be one of those people who ignore the actual temperature and dress according to the calendar. Honestly I fear that may happen to me this year.
I keep telling myself to be patient. Autumn is still almost a month away according to the calendar. Soon I will be bringing in the autumn totes and decorating away. Soon. I give myself permission to start working with my son to figure out his Halloween costume. (Maybe an elevator, how fun is that!?) And maybe I take a peek at my Gooseberry Autumn cookbook. And paint my toenails orange. It feels the perfect color to transition from late summer to almost autumn. Plan an apple picking trip for Labor Day weekend, yes please. And we have our first U of A football game 2 Sept. Maybe autumn isn’t as far away as it seems.
Happy Almost Fall!
Desert Autumn Joy List
Normally this time of year I get very homesick for a Northeast fall. This year I am focusing on what I do have as opposed to what I don’t. Though the temperature is still well into the 90’s during the day I have been able to make it feel like autumn (at least inside my head).
- There is a hint of coolness in the morning and evenings, enough so that I have resumed taking the dog on longer walks. This has led me to find some autumn color, desert style.
- The inside of my house all decorated for autumn.
- Football season! College marching bands at halftime are the best!
- Pumpkin chili and pumpkin beef stew made in the crockpot. The pumpkin adds a wonderful creamy thick texture.
- Taking pumpkin oatmeal spice bars to bowling.
- Using wax scents to make my house smell like autumn despite the a/c still being on.
- Cooking a pork roast in the crockpot also makes a home smell autumnal.
- Some promising new cookie recipes that will be on the healthy side but still taste of fall.
- Working on the outlining of my autumn needlepoint tissue box cover.
- Adding a Trader Joe’s harvest tea bag to my pitcher of iced tea.
- Trader Joe’s pumpkin soup crackers, with a bit of cream cheese, crazy yummy!
- Starting to wear my “fall wardrobe”. Not flannel and sweaters alas, but capris and cropped jeans and autumn colors. I got two new pairs of LL Bean cropped jeans in pale spruce and vintage blue….love them!
Happy First Day of Autumn!!
