Fall is my very favourite time of the year!
I don't know what it is about a cool, crisp morning, but it wakes you up and makes you feel energized and ready to conquer anything.
There are some things that mark this autumn and make it unique for our family.
We have been in this house a year now! If feels weird to say that. In some ways, It seems we've been here a looonnnngggg-long time, but in other ways, it was just yesterday we were in Singapore. I'd like to think that we are settled, but we aren't quite there! Last year, at this time, I was surrounded by towers of sea shipment and storage boxes trying to figure out the best place for all our "stuff" in this brand new house that still was somewhat under construction! Believe it or not - I STILL have contractors coming to my house to fix the things that weren't done properly. However, I can honestly say that I have opened every box and though I may not have a place for everything, I do have a goal that by next summer I want to be settled. Don't ask me to define - settled! I am told I have 2 years to get settled!
I have a YLP list and the Engineer has a spreadsheet. Both, I would say have 3/4 of the items crossed off so I believe next summer is an attainable goal!
The pool and the landscaping are finally done.
Autumn is also hunting season for those who don't know. Mine was marked with the acquisition of the deer mount of the the buck from last season coming home to hang above the fireplace in my new home.
Beautiful isn't it???!!!!
I am told that I am a wonderful, understanding wife. I suppose I am because my neighbour isn't so lucky. All his mounts are hanging up in his garage and I am amazed that they are still looking good with all the heat and humidity in southern Texas!
For those of you ladies who are married to good ol' boys, there is an awesome book titled The Antelope in the Living Room by Melanie Shankle. It is a good book that finds the humour in marriage and life in general. I laughed out loud several times and thought, "She must be a fly on the wall in my house, this has happened to us!" Incidentally, Melanie also has a blog titled Bigmama that I find quite amusing. I learned about it from the Pioneer Woman's blog. Both women are close to my age and I find I could easily be best buds with them! We just haven't met yet!
October 5th was Chewbacca the wookie dog's 1st birthday. No - I didn't make him a cake or anything. He got bacon in his bowl! He's a good dog. Still cute, and knows it! He is the great lizard hunter! Such a gross past time, but he's so proud of catching them. He also likes dragonflies, but they are way too fast for him.
Autumn means planting mums and dianthus! I'm not ready to take on fall vegetable gardening yet. That will be a next year thing - after I'm settled! But look what I found crawling around the air conditioner.
I've never seen such a big caterpillar!!!!
Okay - Looked him up online - This big, green monster is the caterpillar of the Luna Moth. How cool is that! The Luna moth is about the size of a sparrow.
Autumn also means wearing jeans & boots!
Autumn also means cooking! Soups, Gumbos, stews! Acorn & butternut squashes! Brussel Sprouts, rutabagas and parsnips. Baking - Pumpkins, apples & pears. Cranberries - Oh, I LOVE cranberries.
These are all things that make your house smell so good and yummy. It makes you want to invite people over.
This weekend I made homemade cranberry bread.
I also made roast - recipe from Finecooking.com Pot Roast with Fruit & Chipotle Sauce.
These were gone before I remembered to take pictures for the Blog. - Still learning . . .
What I love about Autumn is it makes me grateful! I slow down . . . stop . . . look around. . . and appreciate all the things great and small that God has blessed me with.
. . . STOP. . .
look around you
take a moment
to
appreciate
someone or something!
