Growing up, Autumn was my FAVORITE time of year. Changing leaves, frost on the grass, caramel apples, Halloween decorations, planning my costume.... I loved it. It's still my favorite time of year, but something is missing. As most of the country is surrounded by changing color and cooler temperatures, the citizens of Temecula, California have been watching the hot Santa Ana winds blow gray-brown leaves into the dry brown grass. Oh they dance and swirl through the air, but it loses mystique when I watch from a hot car with a thermostat that registers 112 degrees. Each evening, we look outside our windows watching for smoke on the horizon and wonder: "Will this be the year that fire comes down our street?" Oh how I miss the mountains of Utah. I long to see Mt Olympus change her wardrobe from deep forest greens to brilliant orange and red. She looks best in these colors. I long to wear sweaters, and pick apples from trees heavy with fruit. I long to make Autumn food. I've been digging out my soup recipes looking forward to the day that I can devour a bowl without sweating to death. Every morning I wake up and whisper: "Oh Autumn, please come. Spare me from another day of frizzy hair and blasting heat." Today I got my wish.... sort of.
At 5:00 a.m., I walked outside and was greeted by a cold burst of air. Cold air! I was excited. Fall is here, even if it is just for one day. I dug through the closets and pulled out all my Halloween decorations. I put everything up and lit my pumpkin scented candles. When my kids came home, they were excited too. They walked in the door and proclaimed: "I love the way our house looks at Halloween! I wish we could keep the decorations up all year long. Fall is the best!!" I feel that way too. I'm making soup in a pumpkin and tonight we will feast. We will welcome Fall in all it's dry, brown, splendor, even if it is just for a day.
And off the subject, I don't know if anyone else out there has this problem, but every time I pull out my boxes of holiday paraphernalia, and I begin to decorate, I can never remember where anything goes. I remember the previous year -- that the house looked great, but I never remember what I did to make it that way. Sounds kind of weird considering my box of decorations has remained the same for over 10 years, but it's true. So, I came up with a solution. I took photographs of all the nooks and crannies covered with pumpkins and ghosts. I'm putting a copy in my decoration box, so I'll remember.... which is something I'm really bad at. In fact, today I wore my shirt backwards all day long and didn't even notice until I looked at my reflection in the Walmart bathroom mirror and saw my shirt tag sticking up pretending to be a necklace. I think I may have to say something to my friends that went to breakfast with me this morning -- I sat there drinking soda, munching toast, and they didn't say a word about my wardrobe miscue. Is it because they think I'm past hope?? Could be. Maybe they just know the real me and love me in spite of the fact that I'm a little scattered.
As I walked out of the Walmart bathroom, I didn't even bother adjusting my shirt. I just resumed shopping with the thought: "Oh, I'll get to that later." But, it is now 10:30 p.m, I just realized... I still have a tag tickling my chin. I think you already know what happened..... I forgot.
Which leads me to another question. Why can I remember with clarity things that happened 40 years ago, the entire tune to any 1960's television show, and other mindless trivia, but I can't remember where I put my keys, hair appointments, lunch money for my kids, or putting on a shirt front forward???? I think I better purchase a Blackberry and start sending notes to myself!
2 stopped by to say hello.:
Great decor. Yes fall is definitely here as I burn my pumpkin cheesecake candles and other fall scents constantly in my home.
Okay I never noticed that your shirt was on backwards. I remember that it was brown but that's it. How sad is that. I bet P noticed it though!
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