Trick... or Treat?

When the started talking about a Nor'Easter for Saturday we just shrugged it off. A Nor'Easter is basically just an off-shore storm and we've had them in October before. They bring strong winds and rain and no one really paid any attention to it. Early in the week they started talking about snow on Thursday. Snow in October isn't unheard of either. It's usually just a light coating that coats the pumpkins and melts fast and makes the kids happy.

End of the Month Wrap Up

last night, in the middle of the storm

I'm still coming to terms with the fact that my calendar is telling me October is almost over. I still have leaves on the ground, my fall cleaning has barely been started, and their is snow on the ground. Right after I typed my last post I came down with an awful respiratory infection that knocked me out of commission for a solid week. It was two weeks before I got my energy back and could function like myself again. Then, right after I was finally feeling better, I had surgery to  remove a tumor from my uterus  at the end of last week. I got the news yesterday that it wasn't cancerous and there were no cancerous cells detected in the lining, so praise God for that. They burnt the lining out after removing the tumor and doing the biopsy, so hopefully this will be the end of any future concerns. In between all of that, I've had visits to the doctor about a damaged nerve in my elbow, and I've gone for an MRI of my head/brain to see if there might not be something else going on that is causing my daily headaches and contributing to my migraine disorder. In a nutshell, I am a mess. 2011 will be forever known as the year I fell apart, and I can't wait for 2012 to get here so I can put myself back together.

In Which I Wax Poetic About Fall

photo from 2010

It's no secret around here that I LOVE fall. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the other season's, it's just that I LOVE fall.

I love spring, with all it's new growth, flowers, and the return of migratory birds. I like to feel the warmth of the sun on my face, and watch the grass green up and the leaves burst out of the buds on the trees.

I love summer, with it's glorious produce, long lazy days, and beautiful weather. I can't tell you how summer rejuvenates my soul. Sitting in the sun, or on the porch, or at the lake and just enjoying it all is one of my favorite past-times when I'm not busy working. I love swimming and camping and hiking and the farmer's market and a million other things about summer.

My Faithful Companion

He brought her home in his lunch box on afternoon in mid-August several year ago. Ms. Thang and I were in the family room watching Harry Potter (every summer we try to have a marathon and watch them all but it never happens) and she was on the couch and I was in my favorite chair knitting. He walked in the door, early from work, and I knew something was up. He walked over to my chair, so excited for the gift he had in his lunchbox and out she popped.

One Thousand Gifts

115. A simple apology, with sincere words behind it.

116. A flock of geese flying south for the winter in the early morning light.

117.A half hour of extra sleep, snuggled next to the man I love.

118. Everyone hunkered down in their favorite "family room" spot. 
119. A hand held during a trip to the grocery store.

120. Warm, hearty soup after hours spent out in the dreary rain.

122. The way the light has changed in the morning, promising cooler days.