Today I noticed...The flutter of falling leaves.

Off and on today I sat at my desk, which is right in front of a double window. I couldn't help but notice that each time I looked out there was a steady stream of leaves fluttering down and twirling along. 

I know that the dry weather has caused some of the leaves to dry up and fall already but it is also a sure sign that fall is in the air. 

Today is the fall equinox. The sun rises due east and sets due west. Day and night are equal in time. It is the official start of autumn in the northern hemisphere. Learn more from the Old Farmer's Almanac.

Just 3 Things | # 10

We've had an busy week! Of course, we had a holiday parked right in the center of things but we have been getting things winterized and spruced up a bit around here as well. I haven't had as much down time to sit around and read as I usually like but all is well and I will be back to lolling around some next week, I'm sure!

- What I've Been Reading - 

I guess I am a worry wart. I know that worry is just borrowing unnecessary trouble. So, maybe I should call myself a thinker instead of a worrier. 

When I learned that the US Department of Education was in an upheaval at the beginning of this year and in jeopardy of being cut out altogether, I was astounded. After all, an open, free, and equitable education has always sort of been one of the strengths of our country. I have been doing a lot of worrying thinking about this. Of course, as an educator, that topic is one that is close to my heart as well. But, I also had concerns about the funding cuts to research that are happening at universities, hospitals, and all over our country. So, this week, when I stumbled across an interesting read, I continued by going down a rabbit hole and reading more related to the topic. 

The article that started off this whole rabbit hole visit and train of thought was this one: A Battle With My Blood by Tatiana Schlossberg. She is the daughter of Caroline Kennedy (granddaughter of JFK) and, ironically, I read the article on November 22. What really spoke to me is her raw honesty. Oh, there's also the fact that here is somebody who is far more wealthy than most and her family could probably buy most anything they desired. Yet, all the riches in the world cannot really buy her health and a long life at this point. All throughout my life, ours has been a country that is cutting edge, most knowledgeable, problem solvers, ahead of the curve. I am concerned that all of this is going away. I am deeply disturbed.

- What I'm Loving -

I absolutely love giving gifts at Christmas. Every year I request a Christmas wish list from each member of the family. Some are better list makers than others. For example, the teenagers are great list makers and hey send their list along shortly after I send out an all-call requesting lists. They have shared Google Docs, Amazon lists, and links. They include little notes telling me which colors or what size. Some of the adults provide pretty good lists as well. They generally are not as punctual as the teens but I mark that down to the fact that they have more responsibilities. Some of the littles generally get me some good lists once they have a chance to work with their parents on them. Then, there are others... So, I have to ask spouses for ideas and Mike and I brainstorm and come up with something for them that fits a general interest that they have. Plus, with 18 family members, having lists just makes things so much easier for me!

The beauty of those who send me a good list is that I have lots of choices that way. I truly do love that. Plus, I know exactly what they like and what size they currently need in the way of wearables. Our gifts tend to follow the following rule: 

• Something they want
• Something they need
• Something to wear
• Something to read

My shopping actually started months ago for some of them. I stumbled across a couple of cool items that I thought the girls would like and added them to my virtual cart. They've been delivered and I even think I know where I hid them away! The stocking stuffers for the girls were delivered Tuesday and I am just loving those. So, I'm already getting excited about Christmas and I'm loving the lists I'm getting from family members.

- What I'm Working On -

Since the crew is coming here for the Thanksgiving feast, I've been working on getting the feast ready for us all to eat. I worked on it a bit on Tuesday - making cornbread for the dressing. That's about all I did on Wednesday. I've done a bit of straightening and tidying up and Mike has been helpful - blowing the leaves away from the porches and chopping the leaves in the yard. Since this is set to be published on Friday, I'm sure I will be resting from all the excitement. 

I've taken on a couple of other projects this week but I will share more about that later. Hope black Friday, Shop Small Saturday, and whatever other things that are going on this weekend go well. Plus, I hope to goodness The University of Tennessee can pull out a win on Saturday!

Today I noticed...Simple little fall touches make me smile.

Blue and white pumpkin on a cake stand setting on the counter 

Fence post pumpkins setting on the den hearth

Just Three Things | #3

I don't know if it is old age creeping up on us or if it is retirement and how the days all seem to look a lot alike or if it is just forgetfulness but I've noticed that Mike and I both sometimes lose track of what day of the week we are in. Last week I mentioned something to our granddaughter, Lydia, about Friday. She looked at me with incredulity and said, "You mean tomorrow, Grand B? Tomorrow is Friday." All day long I had been thinking it was Wednesday when, in fact, it was Thursday! Then, yesterday, Mike and I were sitting at the table and he said, "Is this Wednesday?" I don't know if it is comforting that I am not the only one forgetful of which day it is or if it is a bit frightening! Anyway, I hope every day of your week has been a good one!

What I'm Reading

As I mentioned when I noticed how I really like a southern voice, I've been reading one of those southern voices - Mary Kay Andrews. Mary Kay Andrews is the pen name of Kathy Hogan Trocheck. I finished up this one:

Every Crooked Nanny

Last night I started the next in the series, To Live and Die in Dixie. It has been a while since I dived into a series and I had forgotten how comfortable it is to start out a book already knowing characters and setting. The first of the series proved to be a fun read and I'm already enjoying the beginning of this second one. I think what I'm enjoying is that many of the characters could be people who live nearby and have quirks and personalities much like folks we all know and love in spite of those quirks. 

Of course, before I started this series, I finished up The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club. It was listed as a historical fiction novel that was set just after World War I. I haven't read as much about that time period as I have the time during and just after World War II. So, my interest was piqued at the thought of that time period. I also appreciated the author's take on the evolving role of women at that time. Maybe this is where my parents roots came from. They always told my sister and I that we should act like a lady but think like a man. This book helped me to appreciate that reference.

 

What I'm Loving

I'm loving the cooler days we have entered! When I went out for tacos for Taco Tuesday this week, the air was still so hot and humid that it was sort of hard to breathe. We welcomed the rain and the cooler temperatures that have blown in. I even decided that it was time to sprinkle a few pumpkins here and there throughout the house and change up the decor around here a bit. One of the things I've gravitated toward over the years is to just focus on fall and not go all out on Halloween or Thanksgiving. I'm a lazy decorator and when I just sprinkle a few pumpkins and fall leaves around, that can shoo away the summer feeling and escort in a bit of a fall feeling. That doesn't mean I don't have witches and black cats or pilgrims and turkeys. It just means I don't go all out one and follow with the other. 

Most of what I dig out of storage is just fall and pumpkins with a nod or two of a witch and a black cat. I'll share a bit of how fall looks around here on a later date. In the meantime, I've gone for a stroll to enjoy the cooler weather and I'm in the process of dragging my newly covered chairs out onto the porch to give them a spritz of Scotchguard to protect the fabric a little from our spills and drips. Maybe I can wrap the chair project up and share the beauty of all my dining-type chairs with checked seats.

What I'm Working On

I am wrapping up my chair seat covering project. I discovered that it is not the quick and easy task I anticipated. Wrestling with the chairs to get the screws loose and the seats removed and gripping and pulling and stapling the fabric did a number on my shoulders, arms, and hands. At first I couldn't figure out why I was having such soreness. Then, I realized I had wrestled and twisted and pulled and pushed in ways that I had not asked my body to do in quite some time. I did five chairs the first day and I was pretty achy the next. So, I skipped a day and then did four chairs. The following project sessions, I only did three per day. That was much more manageable. I probably should have only tackled a couple per day if I didn't want to be achy but I've recouped and I'm no worse for the wear. It was probably a good exercise session for me, if truth be told. I will get the seats sprayed and protected and then try to capture a photo or two showing where they are scattered throughout the house. 

I'm really pleased with the look of them and it truly has not been all that difficult to transform the chairs. I'm just taking this project on like I promised myself I would when I was looking forward to retirement - slow and steady! 

I've already begun gathering supplies, plotting and planning in my mind how I want it to look, and figuring out what might be the best method of creation for my next project. Like everything around here, it is a bit of trial and error and back to the drawing board. We shall get there, though!

Outtakes!

A few years back, I had the opportunity to make family photos for my daughter, Bridgette. I truly love doing that and sometimes I think I wish I'd made that my profession. Then, I think about those little people who cry and reluctant or non-cooperative subjects and I'm glad that I didn't!  Anyway, I was asked to put my photography skills to the test again and we took a warm afternoon with a few crafty props she had brought and made photos that she chose from for her Christmas cards and to update a few frames in her home.  Bridgette also wanted to use Ole Red for some of the photos. So, we washed the dust off of the truck and took a couple of turns down the road to dry it off and the photo shoot ensued.

The ones she chose for her cards are nice and feature some of my best loves - my granddaughters! 

At one point I handed Bridgette the camera and she made a few shots of Mike and me and I used them for our Christmas card this year. As always, though, some of the most fun shots are the outtakes! I've included some outtakes here. Some are silly and some are actually pretty good. I'm not going to caption each one. I just want to share some of this family.

We, of course, drove up this hill but I thought it might make a good setting to have them all pose in the middle of the drive with the fall trees and grasses around them. Then, it took a turn for the silly when they acted as if they had run up the hill!

I knew when I was shooting this one that it wasn't going to turn out as we hoped. Not just because of the faces that the girls were making as they squinted into the sun but also because the interior of the truck was too dark for Corey to show up. So, it looks like Bridgette has some sort of creepy hand attacking her!

Here was a silly one made from inside the cab of the truck while the girls were in the bed of it.

There was lots of standing around or trying to keep somebody engaged while it was somebody else's turn to pose.

Sometimes the pose request was taken just a little too far!

The sun was really bright and there were lots of squinty shots of everybody!

Some of them are nice photos. Some of them are really funny because of the faces or actions. Some of them are simply showing personalities. In all, I think I shot over 550 pictures that afternoon. So, the outtakes really are just the tip of the iceberg! I look forward to our next photo op!