Tag Archives: traditions

Jumping The Gun (Just A Little)

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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!

Wishing For Candy From Fout’s Store

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Fout's Store

Rural areas across the country are dotted with tiny towns that exist only in name if not in reality. In fact, most of them don’t even make the map anymore including a little place called Stella which isn’t far from my home. All that’s left today is a church and an old general store that was shuttered when I was young.

It opened in 1887 and changed hands some over the years. When I was small, it was owned by Shag and Helen Fout, an elderly couple who had run the place since the late sixties.

I don’t remember much about the interior anymore and would absolutely love to see inside again. There were creaky wood floors and a big pot bellied stove. That, I remember. I also remember the smell, a scent that I can’t begin to describe here but that represents the passage of time in my mind.

I also remember going there at Christmas to buy bulk Christmas candy. They had big bins and you left with candy scooped into paper bags. It was tradition to go there for candy every year and I looked forward to it.

It’s funny because this place rarely bubbles to the top of my mind but I always revisit those memories as the holidays near. A part of me wishes to go back for a little bag of chocolate covered peanuts or little milk chocolate stars.