I love pumpkins! They bring back such fond childhood memories of Halloween, trick-or-treating, and carving contests. We grew our own pumpkins last year, though they weren’t so pretty. Actually, only one survived, now that I think of it. There were many mishaps with the vine, including but not limited to: climbing up the garage and having to be pried loose, being stepped on, frost, and I think a run-in with the lawnmower if memory serves correctly. A few days ago we went to a farm market not far from here to buy pumpkins for the front porch. Baby V was giddy and giggly the whole time. I think she even did a little jig at one point. We laughed that it was her favorite day ever, smiling from ear to ear in a sea of orange.
Harvest heat
For a few days there, it felt like summer was back. The sun shone so brightly I could feel it warming my skin right through my shirt. The redwing blackbirds trilled again. Shades of orange started to show up in the landscape, making the harvest heat seem even more fiery. And then today, the rains returned. I think fall is here to stay this time.
Rest
It feels like there are too many things to do, and not enough time to get them all done. But what I truly want right now is to stop and rest. I’ve always been a cat person, and I believe they are great teachers of resting and rejuvenating. Anthony’s big guy Smoko is pictured on the left, and that’s my little Symba on the right. It’s hard to believe that almost fifteen years have passed since I adopted Symba from a shelter. She and my other cat Sylvie have lived in four different states with me, and we even crossed the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea together twice. The veterinarian told us that Symba doesn’t have much time left. How I wish she could be a kitten again, clawing her way up my jeans to nuzzle me.
Ever since our daughter was born earlier this year, people have been telling me how fast she’ll grow up. They were right. She’s already outgrown another set of baby clothes, though it doesn’t seem all that long ago that we brought her home from the hospital. It has been a whirlwind at times, a blur of growth and change and little sleep. So, at this very moment, I’m choosing to rest. I’ll put Baby V to bed for the night (or at least for a few hours, until she needs to feed again), and then I’ll steal a cat nap with Symba.
Spinning gold
It’s getting darker and cooler, but I treasure this time of year and all its changes. There is a crisp quality to the air that is so refreshing, and what’s not to love about the rustling of leaves in the wind? One of the things I missed most during the years I lived in Greece was fall color. (To be honest, I also missed Dr. Pepper, though every once in a while I’d find some at an outrageous price, imported from the Netherlands). This is my third autumn back in the US, and I’m loving the glimpses of gold (and the occasional Dr. Pepper).
A day of firsts
Today was a day of firsts. The first of October. The first real cold, rain, and wind of the fall season. I bought little pumpkins to decorate for our first fall together in this house. It’s also our first fall with our daughter, so now we have three pumpkins instead of two. While she was napping this afternoon, I got to step outside and appreciate the leaves starting to change. Here are the leaves of our locust tree, which were the first to turn yellow and drop into the garden. I couldn’t resist the urge to make vegetable soup this evening. Anthony even built our first fire tonight. There’s nothing like the heat of a woodburning stove, so radiant and comforting. It was the kind of day that makes me want to write my first entry here.