Happy Autumn!

All kinds of autumnal activities around here, and today, rainy and cold, feels more like October than September. Amongst the obligatory preparations for winter (stacking wood, pulling the remainder of the garden goodies, raking leaves...), we have found plenty of time to enjoy the crisper weather. This IS my favorite time of year!

Saying goodbye to Summer

Oh, it's so hard. Particularly this year, because I personally enter the fall and winter with a sense of apprehension about how I am going to feel physically. The past two winters were tough...having a newborn and then severe Lyme symptoms and not knowing at the time that it was Lyme. I feel a bit panicked at the thought of not seeing the sun for a while...it has been my close friend through this healing process. On bad days, I would just sit. On better days, I would work in the garden, and imagine both things were helping me to grow and get better. On good days, more of them now than in a long time, I feel immense gratitude for its constant warmth, almost like a hug that lasted for hours.

So, with the beginning of September, comes the start of the school year, scheduled days, colds and increased bouts of cabin fever for us all. We took advantage of what many of us know instinctively to be the last few days of stunningly warm weather, trips to the beach, picnics and bathing suits. It felt luxurious, and lovely, to not necessarily have pre-made plans for the day, and to wake up and see what the day brought.

"...for I was rich, if not in money, in sunny hours and summer days, and I spent them lavishly;..."
                                                                                                       
                                                                                                             - Henry David Thoreau

Happy September!

It's been a while, but we've not been without many adventures and photos. Time for a little catch-up!

- Doug competed in Canada at Ironman Mont Tremblant, and did ridiculously well...beating his previous best time by twenty mintes!
- Cora is a ham...every question is answered with a "yeah."She is easy to make laugh, and is, like Beck, easy-going, generous, and loving.
- Beck has grown lanky and tall, loves to hike and be outside. He is lighter on his feet, and loves to run and jump off anything in his path.
- I am feeling better, and working my way through the hopefully final push of this Lyme treatment. There will be a few more months of followup treatment for adrenal issues, but otherwise, I am relieved to know that at least most my days are predictable, and I am able to once again go hiking with the kids!

After the nap...

Helpers in the kitchen

Hamming it up

This was from a while ago, but I'm not sure I posted it.

Morse Mountain

Thunderstorm watching.

Bradley Pond.