FALL!

The first yellow leaves appeared in my trees 2 days ago. I took a picture. It is official. Fall is here.

This is my favorite time of year. While people make goals in January, it is always autumn that inspires me to be better and accomplish more. I think it is perhaps the coinciding of school starting and the harvest season, plus that hint of winter that whispers a reminder to "carpe diem" before the snow sets in.

That is one thing about fall. These beautiful fall days are spectacular, but they don't last long. There is always a storm just around the corner. Which is actually, kind of a good thing, because it reminds me that I better get out there and enjoy it. Temperatures are supposed to drop on Thursday, so I spent a lot of the day working outside. I might not have if it was always this wonderful!

Today I dragged the family up into the mountains to go on a short hike. I shouldn't say "drag", since they were all quite happy to go with me. It just takes so much effort... getting the kids fed early, getting jackets, socks, shoes, baby backpack, water, and then urging everyone INTO the car, then realizing Daddy wasn't quite as close to home as expected, so sitting in the car... Every mother knows that anything worthwhile takes at least some Herculean effort. Anyway, we had a wonderful time. Bekah was collecting leaves, Kyle was collecting rocks, Daddy was doing who knows what on his phone, Stephen was just happily chilling, and I was thrilled to be out doing exactly what I wanted with such a happy clan. It really was wonderful.

Rob brought home a huge box of apples from my dad's, and I'm at it again. When I'm in the middle of canning, I always wonder why the heck I do it! We had a load of apples from our tree and I made applesauce. I've also done peaches, raspberry jam, and salsa. There will still be more salsa, more jam, and grape juice. So last week, I put a hole through my steam bath pan (only noticed after trying to figure out why water was EVERYWHERE). Then I broke a jar of applesauce and a jar of peaches. And what drives me the most crazy is that my kitchen is a MESS afterwards. Yet, despite these setbacks, I do this every year. I'm trying to figure out why. I think a little of it is because I have the fruit and feel a compulsion to do something with it... you know, not just waste it. Then there is the fact that the food is healthy. I know the applesauce I'm making is just that: apples. Healthy and simple. Well, and of course I am addicted to salsa and my salsa is better than almost anything I've tried anywhere. I use about 50 pounds of tomatoes in all, but I love it so much, I probably only have 1 jar left from last year. So despite my grumblings, I'm at it again. And our house smells delicious!

Okay, actually, now that I think about it, I did have a wonderful time last Friday making applesauce. Kyle was helping push the applesauce through the grinder while I turned the handle. It was so great to work with my son. There were no deadlines, there was no rush. I could be as patient as I needed to be and he was having fun working with me. That can be hard to find: a project to work together without whining. Especially with the reward of a bowl of fresh applesauce. I kept him home from school for an hour because we were both having such a good time, and I figured that learning to work with me was the greater lesson.

Anyway, I just had some real toasty-warm home-made apple juice with a little cinnamon. mmm...tastes so good, I think I will snuggle off to bed. :)