Showing posts with label gardening; homesteading;. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening; homesteading;. Show all posts
Thursday, August 31, 2017
a mingling of seasons..
It's that strange time of the year when the seasons are mingling, and I'm just never really sure what to do. There are gourds and a pumpkin from the garden sitting next to impatiens on the porch. The nurseries are selling mums but the summer flowers are still mostly vibrant and clinging on to life. The chilly morning air requires a sweater which is then quickly stripped off only an hour or two later. Time is tugged back and forth between garden preservation and getting on with the new endeavors of autumn.
With two weeks of homeschooling tucked under the belt, we are getting ready to dive into the full swing of fall schedules. Music lessons, co-op classes, art class, community group, and the other activities that fill up our moments. And my yearning for some fiber work has been creeping back in over the last several weeks as the mornings and evenings have grown cooler and the days just a tad bit shorter. I am finding myself scrambling to finish up the few projects I left languishing over the summer so that I can break through into fall with a fresh project. Socks? A sweater? A poncho? All things that have flickered through my mind.
And a tizzy of preserving and canning has had me falling into bed exhausted every night lately. It's a good kind of exhaustion, stemming from long, productive days of work. And that freezer and can cellar is filling up with all manner of homegrown and homemade goodness. And if I shall be frank, this girl here is quite possibly looking forward to the fall and the change it brings. A bit of a break from the endless harvesting and a time to just draw in a bit more and concentrate on some cozier activities.
Monday, August 21, 2017
full days...
Last week was our last free week of summer. I know the official start of fall is not until mid-September, but the start of school almost always signals fall in my mind.
However, today is in the mid-80's. We just finished up an awesome first day of school after a deliciously full summer of fun and experiences. We were so blessed to be able to view the eclipse (80-90% coverage here in Western Pennsylvania) this afternoon, and we are all looking forward to our upcoming annual trip to Maine.
And as we ease back into the routine of studying and learning, I'm also going to keep a bit of a hold on these summer days. They slip by so quickly, yet there is so much about them that fills me up. The days are still long (though I've noticed the shifting sun setting earlier every day now), but I can feel myself shifting into a different mode now. I recognize it because it happens every year.
The last two weeks of freedom were full. Hanging out with friends. Walking the dirt paths through the fairgrounds. Seeing Crowder perform from literally fifteen feet away. Spending time bringing in the harvest from the backyard gardens. Learning new skills. Spending an evening canning and preserving as a family. Spending precious, precious one-on-one time with the kids. Early morning walks with a friend.
It's been full and wonderful and life-giving.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)