October's Mid Point

It is truly and fully autumn here now.  The trees are beautiful.  We had about a week of deer visitors, coming more than once a day right into our yard, before bow hunting season began and they disappeared again into the woods.   We didn’t think we would see them again for another month or so, but a doe and 3 fawns stopped by yesterday.  The doe was anxious and tried to keep out of sight, but the fawns were right up in the yard and not at all concerned about baby George pounding on the window.  We enjoy watching them so much.  It surprised me to learn that people can apply for permits to hunt them with bow and arrow even here within the city limits.  I am not opposed to hunting in theory, but I am feeling very protective of “our” deer!

It has been cold and damp this week and I am piling on the clothes.  Already we can see that our heat bill will be significantly higher than last year — and it isn’t even cold yet! —  so my stack of quilts and fleece is welcome.  I know I would stay warmer if I were more active so that can be one of my goals going forward into the really cold weather that is still ahead of us.  

    

                                                    

After months of procrastination, I spent a couple of hours (literally a COUPLE of hours) in my sewing room this week and finished off two quilt tops that had been pushed off to the side.  It is shameful how much energy I put into avoiding work that is so quickly and easily done.  Chauffeuring and other duties took most of the week, which I do not mind a bit, but I hope that I will get my going going again in the next few days.  I keep planning projects, no matter how few I do, and they are stacking up.  I am close to the tipping point so it’s definitely time to get some projects finished and off the list!

I am still feeling a bit sleep deprived.  My daughter has had some extra struggles lately, with her own health issues and her partner in the hospital for cancer treatment; we are trying to figure out what we can do to help, and I am waking up nightly with questions and ideas.  The long distance between us complicates things, of course.  I am reminding myself that this, like all times, will pass, but so far that hasn’t helped me sleep through the night.

My older grands both had homecoming games and dances this month, and it is such a joy for me to see how they have grown up when I can get them to send me photos (which, so far, only one of them has done)!  They seem to be taking advantage of all the fun things their schools have to offer, and I enjoy it all vicariously.  I never went to any of my “special” school events, and watching them feels a little like a second chance, so I guess they are my Fountain of Youth!   But truly, never in my life did I look so elegant and grown up as they do.  I hope they are all as confident and comfortable with themselves as they appear, I can think of no better gift as they go forward.