It’s FALL! I’m sad to see summer go, but there is just something about fall that has gotten me excited since as far back as I can remember. When I was a child it was going back to school. New outfits, fresh paper, notebooks, binders and pencil crayons. Now that I don’t have any children at home, it’s all about the crispness that suddenly permeates the air, the leaves turning yellow and orange and floating to the ground on a breeze (well sometimes it’s more like a hurricane here in southern Alberta, but you get the idea). And of course, all things pumpkin! Pumpkin spice hot chocolate, hand cream, scented room plug ins, rustic pumpkin signs, fake pumpkins, real pumpkins, orange ones, white ones, grey ones……I love them all.

Fall is also the other January. It feels like the time to make new goals, revisit old ones, clean out drawers, get rid of clutter all the while hauling out cozy blankets to drape across the couch. That’s what I’ve been doing so far since September started.   I’ve started crafting again, making rustic signs and even trying my hand at some simple furniture, ok hubby helped, well he cut the wood, used the nail gun and cordless drill, but I’m the design master. There has also been some decluttering, but as I hug each item to me to see if it still gives me joy, most are yelling “yes!” and so it’s been a pretty small contribution to the give-away pile. I even baked a pumpkin loaf. It may have been from a mix, and half of it may have stuck to the pan when I turned it upside down, but I ate fresh, made in my home, pumpkin loaf.

Everything seems to have a new urgency as I think about the snow that will soon come, hopefully the forecasters are wrong and it won’t be this weekend. But even if it holds off a while, I know the year is slowly drawing to an end. Can you believe only three months till Christmas? So, I’m looking at the Christmas lights, that never came down from last Christmas, and thinking I better climb onto the roof and make sure they are all secure. It’s definitely not fun doing that in -10 degree weather (fahrenheit or celsius).

Suddenly I’m also wanting to cook again. I’m sure that will wear off in a few months, but in the meantime I’m all over Pinterest looking up recipes from soups to desserts. Cooking is great, but it can be very time consuming, so I’m always on the lookout for something delicious that’s also quick and easy. And did I mention desserts? I love desserts, unfortunately they love me right back, sticking to my hips, and thighs and other areas of my body I’d rather not see enlarged.

I also want to get outside and take some pictures that capture this kaleidoscope of colour. My photography is still in its infant stages despite having taken three photography courses so far. I’m clearly not an intuitive learner, but I’m determined, so I will master it eventually. If I live long enough. In the mean time I’ll keep taking dozens of pictures in the hopes of getting one decent picture.

The theme I see in all of this is that I have a million things I want and have to do, but a mere twenty-four hours in which to do it each day. I’m guessing I am not the only one to struggle with this challenge. There are so many things clamoring for our attention these days. On top of everything the new fall season has started for some of my favourite TV shows. I guess I’m really going to have to use my time and PVR wisely. Especially since I just want to snuggle up on the couch after work with a cozy blanket, a pumpkin spice hot chocolate and my favourite TV show or cozy mystery.

Well Fall, I’m happy you’re here. I’ll do my best to thoroughly appreciate you and take advantage of all you have to offer, before you slip away. I’ll try not to linger over what was during the golden days of summer or look to far ahead to the excitement of Christmas but be mindful of what I have right now, in the present. Enjoying the shortened days, the crispness of the cooler mornings and the feeling of wanting to sharpen all my pencils and bake something with pumpkin in it.