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Monday, October 3, 2016

October Living



       I'm slicing with the Two Writing Teachers community today. It's always a pleasure to read what everyone writes about their lives.

         


           Listen, the wind is rising and the air is wild with leaves. We have had our  summer evenings, now for October Eves. 

The words are by Humbert Wolfe, but really thanks to Ramona B. at Pleasures From The Page! Ramona shared a picture of this quote on a sign at her favorite indie bookstore. I couldn't help it, I had to share it again because the air today really was "wild with leaves", and I loved working in the garden, cutting back flowers, mowing, raking leaves. No, they didn't all blow away! 
           October fills me with delight. It's supposed to be colder tomorrow, and I have thoughts of soups and crock pot stews, hot crisp, buttered bread, apple and pumpkin pies, and my cuddly, cuddly comforter. My only regret is that in my new home I don't have a fireplace. In the old one, we had a stove insert and it could heat the whole house, was really wonderful. I miss having fires on cold days and evenings. 


          In the fall, as a child, we did sometimes roast marshmallows in another kind of fire pit built for safety, but really it was simply a campfire in the backyard. I remember fall times when leaves were raked into the ditches and burned. Now we have side inlets that carry the water to storm drains, but then we had ditches in my small town. There was that smoky smell much of the autumn. I imagine we wouldn't like it today, but then it was something that made a memory. October is a good place to be right now, for cooking and finding beauty and for memories.
         


36 comments:

  1. Your words and pictures are a delightful depiction of fall! I'm enjoying the cooler temps here, too...except they seem to only arrive with nightfall. Still using the A/C in my car on the way home each day; sigh.

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    1. Your weather sounds like ours, Chris, but it is supposed to be cooler today! I'm up early so it does feel somewhat cooler! Thanks!

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  2. Your words are the ultimate in comfort for me this morning, Linda. I couldn't agree more with each of your sentiments. I just love fall for all of the beauty, color, comfort and yummy foods. It is nature's last song before taking a much needed break. Lovely!

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer. Every day gives me a boost, and it sounds like it does the same for you.

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  3. Linda, Your post reminds me of a favorite quote by LM Montgomery, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." Happy Autumn!!!

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    1. Oh, thank you for those words, Michelle. Perhaps it's time to collect October quotes and poems?

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  4. You write about October with such warmth and delight, Linda. I agree, though, nothing says Fall like a fire glowing in the fireplace or wood stove. We are up at the farm over the weekend - looking forward to the warmth of the wood stoves there!

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    1. Ah, I am envious! Have a wonderful weekend, Tara! And thanks!

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  5. Bring it on. We are lucky to begin again new chapters for each season. I am cuddling me with you Linda. I love October too!!! Thanks for those images. I'm warmed with you. :)
    Bonnie K.

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    1. Thanks, Bonnie. I love the thought of the new chapters each season.

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  6. You capture this time perfectly. We are just getting a tiny taste of October. The wind picked up and the days are getting shorter. There is a slight chill in the morning. Looking forward to a shift in the sun and the temps!

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    1. Hoping for you, too, Julieanne. Finally this am it is colder!

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  7. I especially like the 12th day of the month!

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  8. Love the pictures. The thing I love about fall is all the good smells coming from the kitchen as we prepare foods we haven't eaten over the summer because it was too hot (even with central air) to turn on the oven.

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    1. Oh, you're right. I love cooking something for a long time, making the house smell good!

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  9. I remember burning leaves in the back yard also. Very smoky and evocative. October is absolutely my favorite month of the year. I so look forward to cool days after a hot summer, and the glorious leaves. Thanks for these lovely words about October.

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    1. You're welcome, Karen. I'm glad to find someone else who remembers those burning leaves. It is a beauty of a month!

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  10. I heard the news that US doctors found health risks in playing in the piles of raked leaves. The news ended with a note that parents were advised to use their judgement whether the leaf piles are safe and healthy for their children. Wouldn't it be sad if parents wouldn't allow their kids play with leaves any more?
    Your slice is lovely.

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    1. Oh for heaven's sake. Perhaps someone with asthma issues, but I would never stop it, Terje. There are too many things that we're being warned against! Yes, it would be sad, is sad!

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  11. Your wonderful piece brought me back to childhood.As a kid we spent a lot of fall time playing in leaves: throwing them, building forts, running though or burrowing into piles. Terje's comment above makes me sad.

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    1. I just got home after a nice walk, scuffling through the leaves, which are still blowing around today. And just saw Terje's comment. Yikes, feels like one more thing to make parents worry.Thanks Adrienne, glad to hear about your play!

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    2. Scuffling through the leaves - oh, I love doing that! And I haven't made time for it yet this year.

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  12. I love October, too. Here the sugarcane fields are burned so the smell is smokey and sweet. I won't be pulling out big coats or blankets, but I do love throwing on a cardigan in the morning.

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    1. Those fields are burned where my son lives too, & they've talked about it. Lovely to hear, Margaret. And yes, just a sweater is a good thing.

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  13. Awww. This inspires me to write my own post. Although a summer girl, there is something about fall....

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    1. Thanks, Deb. It must be wonderful at the lake about now.

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  14. YAY for October! I absolutely love autumn and actually posted that quote on my FB wall Saturday to celebrate October 1st! Great post filled with so many happy things about fall.

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    1. I say hurrah too, Sonja. How wonderful that you know and posted the quote! Thanks, glad you are an October fan, too.

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  15. We seem to be at that weird "in-between" stage. With the full sun in the afternoons, my car is so hot on the afternoon drive, but the mornings are crisp. I'm holding onto my sandals but I have worn slacks once and look at layers as other options!

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    1. It happened today too, the sun heating things up, then cooling fast as soon as it's gone. Guess that's fall! Hold on to the sandals while you can!

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  16. I've never really been a fall person, but I know so many people like you who enjoy the crispness, leaves, etc. I just can't quite let go of summer, and I don't want winter to come. I'll always be a springtime girl, but I enjoyed seeing why you welcome fall!

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    1. Don't you think that we say some similar things when those green buds first appear? But I understand, especially for those who don't like winter.

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  17. October IS a good place to be. It's one of my favorite months of the year. I love that you captured a leaf fall in your pic! Glad that you liked the quote. We're having our own wild with leaves day. I chuckled when I went to the library at the number of crunched up leaves that were in the entryway.

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    1. Funny, I just read and commented on your post, too! And yes, fun to take that pic. And the downside is we are tracking leaves in. The quote is familiar but didn't remember it really until I saw your post. Thanks!

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  18. So true. October is a good place to be! Enjoyed your post!

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