today . . .

Our temperatures have been a little warm, but the weather has changed enough,
 especially the last couple of days, to feel and enjoy the change of seasons.
 I think I need that change - or rather I change right along with the seasons . . . and I need that.

It changes my routine and my way of looking at things.  I seem to slow down and find joy in things a little easier this time of year.  I read more.  I enjoy cooking and baking,  I pull on an old, cozy sweater that has been softened by years of wear and drink my coffee outside because the day feels beautiful and glorious and I don't want to miss a minute of it.  I love to just be home.  We light fires in the back yard.  We go for rides in the country . . . and sometimes we just wander.  I love this time of year!

"Summer ends, and Autumn comes
 he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night; 
and thus he would never know the rhythms 
that are at the heart of life. 
~Hal Borland

Happy Friday . . .

Life is interesting these days . . . to say the least!

I'm attacking it with a positive attitude and choosing HAPPY!

Happy Friday . . . HAPPY WEEKEND!

some days are made for wandering . . .

What I'm Reading . . .

"Books are uniquely portable magic."

~ Stephen King

A few weeks ago we were still getting temperatures in the 80's.  Fall finally decided to make an appearance . . . the temperatures have dropped and we've had a few very welcome rainy days.  With the change in the weather I find myself more often than not drawn towards reading.  I sit wrapped in my favorite soft quilt and let myself get lost in a book. 

Stephen King . . . maybe sort of a creepy place to get "lost", but with a couple exceptions . . . I have always enjoyed his books.  Something about his writing . . . once I get into the rhythm of one of his stories I tend to forget I am reading a horror story.  I had not read anything he had written in years until my son got me interested in him again.  

I finally got around to reading one of the books I bought this past summer written by a local author, Armen Bacon.  She was a keynote speaker at a meeting I attended back in August.  Her book My Name Is Armen turned out to be much better than I anticipated and very inspiring. 

 I have always enjoyed reading.  When I was younger I would stay up late . . . not being able to go to sleep until I finished the next chapter . . . and then the next chapter. These days I tend to fall asleep a little easier.  I know when I reread a paragraph a couple of times that it is time to turn out the light.  I tend to go through spurts where I read more often than others.  I am always buying books . . . and I nearly always have a book with me.  I cannot bring myself to read on a Kindle.  Maybe I haven't given it enough time, but I simply like the feel of a book in my hand, and I love my shelves filled with the books I have read.  I love books stores and libraries and opening boxes from Amazon filled with books that I have ordered.

It is getting late and I have a few more chapters to finish . . .   I am reading Can I Get An Amen? by Sarah Healy.  Not the type of book I usually read, but it is an easy read and sort of a tender, heartwarming story.  That may be what I needed after reading a couple of books by Stephen King. 

life is good . . .

It is mid October and our temperatures are still in the 90's.  While working in the yard this past weekend I noticed a few leaves that prove that it really is Fall.  

I love this time of year . . . even with our warmer than usual weather.  The mornings are cool and quite . . . the evenings are perfect for sitting on the patio and watching a baseball game.  

There is no month quite like October!

paper cranes . . . 

. . . and my sweet little lady

Life is Good!

Simple as That!

happy . . .

I am obsessed with Fall leaves . . . on the trees, on the ground - it doesn't matter . . . they simply catch my eye whenever I am outside and they are beautiful.  I can't help but stop and pick up a few . . . and snap a photo. 

It's the little things in life that make me happy!

fun with leaves . . . and a sharpie

Peace . . . Love . . . Happiness

Right where we needed to be . . .

 

It was such a beautiful day and we had so much to do at home . . . so we took a drive in the country and found a place by the river to eat lunch.  That's what beautiful Fall days are for . . . right? 

November 16th . . . warm

 

 

 

We sat out in the back yard tonight . . . around the fire keeping warm, making s'mores, and watching movies.  As much as I hate the weather getting cold . . . I love being outside around a fire.

 

Sweet November photo challenge