We are finally beginning to feel the subtle seasonal shift around here, as summer ever so slowly gives way to fall. That teasing temperature is finally beginning to cool a bit, the autumn winds are blowing and the daylight hours are quickly growing shorter. For the first time, in what seems like forever, the very thought of a hot cup tea or a steaming bowl of stew doesn’t send me instantly into a sweat. At last, the pumpkin and the autumn spice seem nice and seasonally appropriate to use in a culinary exploration. However, with my extra hour of sunlight and an extra hour of sleep, I’m in a sunny sort of mood this morning and craving something sweet. So, I think I will forgo the earthy flavors of fall and revisit the sweetness of the summer fruits with some fancy pancakes for breakfast.
Category: Autumn
Golden
I love my job and I enjoy my work immensely. It gives me a strong sense of purpose and fills me with great satisfaction. But I do love my weekends, too (as I’m sure do you). I don’t really get those notorious Monday Morning Blues, there’s just not time for that. My work week always begins in a such a frantic frenzy of teacher to-do’s, I have no time to pine for anything. However, I do have my moments of Sunday Night Sadness as I bid farewell to the long-anticipated weekend. Weekends go by so quickly and downtime is so fleeting, it can be hard to let go of those golden moments of me-time.
September
In these desert parts, September is still very much a summer month. And while the shops are inundated with all things Halloween and Thanskgiving, and the foodie realm is flooded with all the autumn flavors, it is still 100 degrees outside and the swamp cooler still a daily necessity around here. But if you are really attentive you can feel that subtle seasonal transition beginning. It is almost imperceptible, but it’s there. That September shift is in the air.
Gratitude
I know I have said this many times before, but sometimes it is the simplest things in life that bring the greatest sense of peace and satisfaction. It is not always the roughest road, the epic journey or the grandest of discoveries that ignite and excite your sense of adventure. Sometimes it is just a simple exploration, a humble revelation or a smooth and easy trail that lead you a place of contentment and gratitude.
Welcome Autumn
Hello November. And welcome Autumn! I’ve been anxiously awaiting your return. I hope you can settle in and stay awhile, for I do so enjoy your company. I adore your seasonal sensations above all others, you know. Your cool, crisp air kissing my cheeks, the golden glow of your color palette, those wonderful spices of yours that tickle my tastebuds and the warmth of your cozy embrace. Oh, do stay…please? And join me for a cup of tea?
Pears and Pomegranates
Do you ever feel like the path you have chosen in life is like an amusement park ride? You know, one of those roller coasters with the endless loop-the-loops. Trapped on a track, flying far too fast, forward, backward, ’round and ’round, then upside-down and back again. One minute you’re screaming Yay! Weee! Hooray for me! and the next you’re hollering Please no! Let me goooo! Finally, the track begins to level out, you slow to a stop, the safety bar lifts and you find yourself suddenly released. No longer trapped, you are free to step off that loopy track and back onto solid ground. Dizzy and reeling (and slightly nauseous), you stumble awkwardly as you struggle to gain your footing, get yourself oriented and pointed in the right direction. And as you stand there all wobbly and woozy, you ponder your choices…do I hop back in line for another wild ride or simply enjoy where I’m at?
Wandering with Winnedumah
As preparations for Thanksgiving day are underway, any proper foodie would thoughtfully present you with some sort of lovely and healthy dish with which to nourish your body and please the palate of your holiday guests. Although I am forever grateful for nature’s beautiful bounty and the nourishment it provides, I must admit that during this time of giving thanks, my mind tends to wander from the table, shying away from the accepted act of overindulgence as an expression of joyful gratitude. In this season of giving thanks, my heart always heads for the hills where Mama Nature never fails to heighten my awareness of the abundance of beauty in my life. So, in keeping with tradition, my hubby and I sought some nature time this past weekend and found ourselves pondering our plenitude as we wandered with Winnedumah.
Magic at Meysan Lake
Have you ever had one of those moments, so profoundly beautiful you find it difficult to convey? My husband and I experienced such a moment last weekend. I know what you’re thinking. Oh great, here she goes, waxing her profundities again. But quite frankly, I am having trouble attaching words to my profoundly beautiful moment, except to say that it was magical. And though I am not a fan of fairy tales, I do believe in magic.
In the Clouds
I don’t know about you, but I am a practical sort of gal. I tend to be the grounding force in my relationships, the voice of reason, or as my hubby affectionately terms it, the thundercloud rainin’ on someone’s parade. Admittedly, this is so. However, even I need a little escape from the realities of life now and then. I believe there are times when it is perfectly appropriate to blatantly shirk your responsibilities, stick your head in the clouds, stay awhile, play awhile and enjoy the moment while you can.
Savor the Moment
After desperately craving autumn for several torturous weeks now, we are finally beginning to experience our brief little fall moments here in the desert. It is still much too warm for cozy sweaters and comfy boots with midday temperatures still hanging out in the eighties. But when the sun goes down, that cool air creeps in and beckons you out to the back porch to sit awhile, breathe it in and savor a little autumn moment. Savor, isn’t that a great word? To give oneself to the enjoyment of; to perceive by taste or smell, especially with relish. It is the perfect word for this season, these few transient moments of fall. I shall give myself to the enjoyment of it, relish the flavor of it while it lasts and I will start with my favorite savory sauce.
Seek a Little Solace 