be more seasonal

I haven’t been very conscious of this goal for a long while; in fact I was just going to post a little update that in the spirit of getting the last bit of enjoyment out of the colder evenings, I’ve been bubble-bathing like a mad woman the last couple of weeks, only to see that my last entry on this goal was about the fact that we were just heading INTO bubble bath weather! haha

It’s beginning to feel a lot like hot bubble bath time again… yay!

As the end of this summer draws near (or as it has arrived, for those of us engaged in back-to-school), I was thinking about what all I feel I missed this summer, and decided to note it here so that NEXT summer, I make these activities a priority:
a weekend canoe trip
play LOTS of tennis
at least one breakfast picnic with honey
host a cocktails-in-the-garden party
ride my bike to work more often
and
water the garden regularly

There was an autumn chill in the air yesterday afternoon, such that I had to dash back inside the house to grab my favorite fleece blankey before resettling in the hammock to read Harry Potter until dozing off for a much-needed nap.

When I woke up, snuggled cozily in my fleece cocoon, I lay looking up at the sky and the tree branches directly over me. The sunlight on the leaves looked more autumn golden than summer white, and I felt the surge of two conflicting emotions – joy and melancholy. I’m so happy to see the end of the oppressive, dirty summer humidity, but at the same time I felt a bit sad to feel fall in the air. On further reflection, I think my only real reservation to welcoming autumn with open arms is the resumption of school (blech!), because truly I LOVE fall – I celebrate and rejoice in being able to turn the oven on again – that means warm muffins, hot cheesy pizza, and hearty comforting casseroles.

• cozy movie nights on the couch
• cups of tea, Tazo chai lattes, and oh! hot chocolate
• Thanksgiving
• backyard fires
• morning mittens
• crunchy leaves beneath my step
• apple picking
• apple crisp!
• apple cider!
• pumpkin splendor – orange-dotted pumpkin patches, roadside farm stand displays, weird dysmorphic gourds, jack-o-lantern art adorning porches and doorsteps everywhere
• hiking in the woods
• orange, red and brown
• woolly sweaters
• warm, soft socks
• jeans!!
• trick-or-treaters (and the bag of mini-tootsie rolls that Oops! we always seem to forget to divvy out and have to nosh all ourselves!)
• end-of-the-year ball party
• belated spring cleaning
• long hair left down
• howling wind

• star gazing
• county and city-park festivals
• iced tea
• fresh herbs
• hair claws
• flip-flops
• ah… the hammock
• outdoor projects
• thunderstorms
• gardening
• edible flowers
• plentiful salads
• white, bright green, yellow, orange
• bicycle
• the smell of mown grass
• golden, glistening skin
• Slo-Pitch City, the Hawks & Pond Scum
• bunnies, coons & rascally squirrels
• picnics
• tennis
• early morning jogs with D.
• no school! Yippee!!
• popsicles, Dairy Queen
• asparagus
• strawberries
• cherries
• watermelon
• long weekends
• open windows

by Tracey McBride is a good inspiration for this goal (as was Shiny New Moose’s entry about living in Japan). For me, this goal means honoring each seasons’ bounty by taking full advantage of it’s colours, scents, foods, activities and holidays. I don’t want to make it complicated, but even simple things like changing the colour of the towels and sheets (warm clours in winter, cool colours in summer). Seems especially worthwhile as it concerns preparing foods – I’d love to try that 100-mile-diet, which ‘round these parts could really only be done by enjoying the distinctly different produce of each season. Don’t exactly have a plan yet, but that’ll develop over the next week or two. All suggestions are welcome!!