Jumping The Gun (Just A Little)

The overnight temperature on my ridgetop dropped to 59 degrees overnight. I don’t care if it is still hot during the day: it’s time to start gathering up the fall movies and books, begin working on indoor decor for fall and to embrace pumpkin spice and everything nice.

Call it jumping the gun if you will but it is time for change.

Friends, I am tired. I’m tired of being hot. I’m sick of summer blockbusters at the movie theater. I’m over my summer wardrobe and I’ve had enough of poison ivy and bugs.

I’m over it all and ready to move forward into a season where the sun doesn’t hurt your skin and where the humidity doesn’t take your breath away. I’m ready for boots and comfy sweaters. I’ll take When Harry Met Sally with a side of potato soup and some homemade cookies, please.

Friends, I want to be cold and then I want to curl up with a soft, fuzzy blanket and be warm and happy. I want to sniff cinnamon while reading an Alice Hoffman book with her patented mystic style and beautiful prose. I want to stomp through a pile of fallen leaves.

To be clear, I understand that it’s still summer and that we will be punished by summer’s heat for a while longer (like a month and a half longer).

I understand that it’s too early for blankets and pumpkins but that’s ok because my mental health says it’s time.

If summer is your thing, I hope you go stand outside and soak in all the heat you can absorb. Treat yourself to a slushie and chase those lightning bugs. Live it up!

Meanwhile, I’ll be admiring my scarves and pulling out fall decor!

A word to the wise though. As we approach fall, please remember the infamous words of Linus in the classic cartoon It’s A Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

Never jump in a pile of leaves with a wet sucker.

Have a great day, friends!

Autumn Weekend

See it, smell it, taste it, and forget the time of day or year. Autumn needs no clock or calendar. Hal Borland

I took this quote seriously this weekend and gleefully abandoned the clock to enjoy a quiet weekend mostly at home. I have been tired lately and I believe in listening to my body when it asks me to slow down. Not to mention, it has been gloomy, cool and rainy for a few days – ideal conditions to stay inside where it’s cozy.

To quote the frightfully wise six-year-old Wednesday Addams in the original 1964 television classic The Addams Family – “It’s so nice and gloomy.”

So I lit some candles, did a few small chores and slept in two days in a row. Well, I slept in as much as Scout would allow. Mostly, I read. My goal to read 100 books in 2021 seems well beyond reach as I am a daunting seven books behind schedule.

And, of course, Scout was thrilled to have me here and a happy cat makes for a happier life. The paper sack picture was made this weekend. All of the fall pictures came from early last week.

This was just before dusk and the light was lovely in places. Here’s one more for good measure.

So, here we are back at Monday. That means different things to everyone but whatever you do today, I hope you’re kind to yourself.