Sunday, October 21, 2012

The Day Summer Turns to Fall

It's a common question. A question you might ask when you're first getting to know someone. A question you might ask when a conversation lulls. A question a third grade teacher might ask her students to answer in an essay.

Have you guessed what it is?

There are hundreds of possibilities, but the one I'm thinking of: What is your favorite season?

A tough one for me because I love them all, which is probably why I have stayed huddled in the northeast all my life.

Winter brings Irish knit sweaters, snow days, skiing on quiet winter white paths, and crocks of chili.

Spring—the smell of rain, windbreakers, sightings of newborn animals with their moms, and tulips.

Summer—the last day of school, ice cream, beach walks, and bare feet.

And autumn—it officially arrived on September 22, but autumn weather didn't turn up in Saratoga until  mid-October. You know, those days where you put on a over-sized sweatshirt and open the windows to let the snappish air whiz through the house misting it with freshness. This has to be my favorite day of the year. The day summer turns into fall.

How do I celebrate?

First a few windows must be cracked open and no turning on the heat.

I wash my new flannel pajamas with drops of lavender scented oil and slip into them immediately after I take them out of the dryer.

                                                          Loved the starry night pattern!


Nestled in warmth, softness, and flowers, I put on snuggly socks.

                                            This year I chose peace socks, with much hope.


Then I head to the couch where a blanket, a book, and a cup of hot spiced apple cider are waiting for me. I make sure I settle in before the sun sets so I can enjoy this view when I peek up from the pages of my book:

                                                                     My Backyard

 
Happy Fall!    
 
 
KICK BACK BOOK OF THE WEEK:
 
I'll go with my current read (the one I chose for my welcome fall celebration), Doc by  Mary Dorla Russell:

 
From the inside flap of Doc: "The unlikely friendship of Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp begins—before Wyatt Earp is the prototype of the square-jawed, fearless lawman; before Doc Holliday is the quintessential frontier gambler; before the gunfight at the O.K. Corral links their names forever in American frontier mythology—when neither man wanted or deserved notoriety."

KICK BACK SONG OF THE WEEK:

Piano Instrumental—Moving Autumn; However you're feeling this video is worth the view. Nature at its absolute best:



A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA:



 

18 comments:

  1. Hi Peggy,
    I found your site after reading your post on LinkedIn. Thanks for sharing that beautiful photo of your backyard. I also especially loved the video of the lake. Reminds me of Cohutta Springs Lake in GA.

    Best wishes with your blog,

    Rita Lorraine
    Picture Book Depot
    http://PictureBookDepot.com

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  2. Thank you for today's beautiful post. With a steaming cup of chai tea at my side, I watched the video, listened to the lovely background music, and instantly felt a sense of calm. Happy Autumn!

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  3. I can relate to EVERYTHING you've described. My back yard is similar to yours, and in the spring/summer we have sandhill cranes that congregate in our back yard and this year they had their baby. My cats were wathching the birds so closely that the birds got fed up with the threat to their baby that they started chasing the cats right into our garage, needless to say the cats don't venture to close to them anymore:):)

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    1. I can just imagine the cranes chasing the cats. What a visual Lori.

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  4. Hi Peggy,
    I so love your Kick Back Moments.
    Always relaxing and today, it felt so warm and cozy from PJ's, tea and the video.
    Thanks so much.
    Holiday seasons ahead and this is a great time to reflect.

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  5. Peggy, what a precious post. I really enjoyed it and it perked me up a bit since I'm in a Lyme crash and really down and out and in pain--which is why your review, done for over a week now is still not typed in. That and 250 e-mails. I am never going to get my book collection together at this rate.

    Hugs and thankd for the pick me up!

    Micki

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  6. Peggy, you respond to seasonal change much as I do. Those beautiful pictures of your deciduous autumn are quite different from what we see in southwestern Australia: in autumn our indigenous plants generally don't put on a display of colour like yours. But right now it's spring here and our little town is bursting with blooms of golden wattle and scarlet bottlebrushes, while magpies carol in the trees. With all that around me the book I'll be dipping into is yours, "A Stop in the Park". Expect a review from me soon.

    Thanks for a wonderful blog!

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    1. Thanks Stephen. I hope you enjoy A Stop in the Park. Your description of your home in Australia is beautiful.

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  7. Peggy, it's so important to celebrate life like this. You have made a wonderful tradition. I love my flannel pajamas also but have never tried washing them with a touch of lavender oil. How nice!

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    1. There's lavender detergent too. Warning...if you start using it, you won't stop. It really is one of those simple things that makes all the difference.

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  8. What a great blog post. Even more since this is something that I do too when season changes. :-)
    Thanks for reminding me of fall-things-to-do.

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  9. Autumn...that has to be my favorite. Just the right amount of 'chill' that refreshes the mind, body and soul. Lovely post, Peggy. I must "steal" the video for catnip. I will link to your site:>)

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    1. Glad you enjoyed Sharla. I loved that video too.

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  10. I want those peace socks on my feet. NOW. I am loving your blog - it's very original!

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  11. Hi Peggy,

    I really enjoyed this article. Autumn is also my favourite time of the year, and besides that I was born in the wonderful autumn month of October. I love watching the leaves on the trees in my backyard change their colours. We have a tree that I planted when we first moved here seventeen years ago and it has the most beautiful leaves when it changes its colours in the Fall. My husband wanted to cut it down because the neighbours were complaining about the seed that the wind spreads on their lawns. I dared him to touch my tree. When autumn comes she looks her best. I have even named my tree. She is called the Patti Baum.
    So, I really enjoyed this article because when autumn comes I pull out all of my oversized sweatshirts and raggedy jeans and sit in my closed in patio and look at my Patti Baum.
    Ciao,
    Patricia

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