Happy Fall Ya'll

I can't believe it's fall already. wow, did the summer fly by or what.. I don't know about you, but I almost missed the whole thing. I think part of the problem was the lack of Summer type weather. It was only hot and summer like for a week in June and about a week in August.. Now it's time to dig out the sweats. Don't get me wrong, I like fall. I like the crispness that begins to fill the air. My papa would say it was fresh. I really like to head out to the orchard and buy some apple cider donuts. I especially like the warm ones, And I L-O-V-E... hot apple cider. I always buy a couple of gallons so I can make cinnamon apple cider jelly. I add it to the Thanksgiving boxes I pack for my special "adopted" Soldiers. It's a little taste of fall that is good when you're far from home.

I love the smell of burning leaves. It's been a while since I've smelled leaves burning cause they just don't let you do that in the city anymore. I don't know if folks out in the country still burn them or not.. I know kids still love jumping in a huge pile of leaves.. And then there are the scarecrows. I love them.. all fat and full of straw with a favorite flannel shirt and an old pair of overalls. I saw some really cute ones at the super mega store in town. 

Apples, lots of crisp juicy apples, and at our house apples mean pie.. and baked pork chops with apples. fried apples, and if he is lucky, husband will get a few fried apple pies.

Another thing that means fall to me, is a trip "up North".. to a small town with friends. We walk the woods, and hit the quilt shops. I love quilts. they remind me of good stuff like grandmas, feather beds, fall, warmth, and love. I took a quilting class a few years ago. I have some material set aside to make another quilt. Every fall I consider getting the stuff out and working on it.. especially during the long cold days of winter. but with computers, activities at Church and the VFW, I never seem to find time to work on that quilt. I think I'll try again this year. Maybe things will be less hectic..

that's another thing.. Fall quickly leads to Halloween, then there is a rush of only a few weeks and it's Thanksgiving and then all races toward Christmas.. Whew.. But we were talking about fall.. so let's not head out toward Christmas just yet..

Fall means the days will get shorter. the nights will get chilly, frost will leave it's imprint on my lawn and my windshield. It's time to dig out the sweats, the sweaters, the long sleeve stuff, all the winter clothes. It's time to start packing away the summer stuff. The lawn chairs can stay out for the bon-fire, but will be put away soon after. The BBQ grill will be used for another week or two, then out to the barn for the winter.. Beach towels, flip-flops, and sandals will be gathered up and packed away till next spring.

Fall means big pots of homemade soup, homemade bread, stews, and chili. It means apple and pumpkin pies, and loaves of pumpkin and banana bread. The oven will be used on a regular basis again. Fall, means pumpkins and squash, gourds and indian corn, and corn stalks for decorations.
I wish ya'll a very happy fall...