October went in like a lamb and out like a very unhappy, unruly lion. We got pummeled with a fierce snowstorm on Saturday evening that dropped 10″ of snow where we live. Normally we can handle 10″ of snow just fine, but not when the majority of the trees have yet to shed their leaves. That made for a very disastrous combination in Southern New Hampshire.
As of this writing, we do not have power or heat at our house. We do have hot water (for now?) but the water pressure is down to a trickle, so I’m thinking we are near the end. We lost power Saturday night just around midnight. And now it is Tuesday. The estimates are that we won’t get power back until Friday.
But I kind of okay with all of this. Is it inconvenient to stumble around in the dark using only a small flashlight? Perhaps. Is it cold in our house? Of course.
But losing power and being forced to go back to basics is so very refreshing. It reminds me of when Craig and I hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2003. When it gets dark, you just naturally start to wind things down. You climb into your tent and get cozy.
We are doing the same thing now—when we get home from work we go walking to assess all the downed limbs in the neighborhood. Walking helps to warm us up. Then it’s home for dinner. Our stove works if we light a match for the gas. And then it’s time to climb into bed and make a cozy nest. We read or chat and find ourselves getting lots of extra sleep.
There are many worse problems to have than lacking electricity. It’s important to keep things in perspective. I am thankful that it is not the heart of winter. The house may be cold at 50°F, but we will deal.
Plus, this is a great excuse to wear jeans every day and put my hair back into a ponytail. Quick and easy.
So, October went out with a bang. Gotta love New England weather. I am really hoping that this means we will have a balmy January!
Tags: autumn, gratitude
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It was raining yesterday afternoon. A fairly cold and steady rain as I made my way home from work. I crawled into bed when I got home, content to listen to the rain and take a snoozer. However, when I woke up a little while later, it was snowing! Crazy! So, of course, I went for a long walk in the slushy snow, catching snowflakes on my tongue.
When I woke up this morning, I was quite certain that I had dreamed everything. But sure enough, there was the evidence:
So strange to have snow already on the ground!
While the big maple in the backyard has mostly shed its leaves, the maple in front is still going strong. Plus all of our trees lining the back of our property haven’t even turned yet. Sure do hope this snow melts so we can get some raking done!
But, alas, word on the street is that more snow is in the forecast for Saturday night! I’m dreaming of a white Halloween???
Tags: autumn, raking, snow
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My writing just isn’t prolific right now. Most of my thoughts remain in my head for the moment, tucked away until later. And that is okay. Instead, I find myself thoroughly exploring Fall.
It is difficult to be working all day long, knowing that the sunlight is getting ahead of you. When I finally get home from work, I have about 15 minutes before the sun has completely gone away, leaving behind the early evening settled in inky darkness. So I dash home and strap on my running shoes and make my way outside. Sometimes I go for a run, and sometimes I go for long, fast-paced walks—at least 3 miles and sometimes closer to 5.
I am actually really loving the rhythm of walking right now. And sometimes Craig joins me.
It’s fun to check out all the houses in the neighborhoods decorated and ready to go for Halloween. Strings of orange lights, decorative ghosts swaying in the breeze hanging from the trees, pumpkins piles on front stoops. Fall is everywhere. I can smell wood stove fires, the scent of cinnamon, and the distinctive taste of the crisp autumn air. The trees rustle in the wind and leaves swirl about my head as they lazily fall from the sky.
Soon it will be raking time; I give it another week or two. But for now, this time is still mine for exploring. And the weekend is finally here, so I can get out of the house and enjoy this breezy, 60°F day in the sunlight. The leaves are putting on a dazzling display.
So Craig and I are off for another long walk, ready for more Fall exploration.
Tags: autumn, exercise, gratitude, mindfulness, running, walking
Posted in Let's Get Physical, The Daily Balance | No Comments »
Happy Fall to you! I hope that you are enjoying the season thus far! After a rather chilly week or so here with lots and lots of rain, it really warmed up this weekend with temps that reached 80°F! It has been truly wonderful, splendid fall weather.
Craig and I spent yesterday doing yard stuff. Well, mostly Craig did lots of yard chores while I did a modest amount of weeding and snapped a bunch of photos of the early October garden. It has rained so much over the last few weeks that we haven’t had a weekend day to be out in the yard to poke around or get anything done until yesterday!
The grass finally gets a mow after 3 weeks!
The grass was getting so long we could have created designs.
After Craig finished mowing, he tackled the front hedges which were starting to get a little bit unruly.
While he clipped back the hedges, I surveyed the progress of our new grass growing out front. Not too bad!
I started weeding the front flower bed and decided that the strange pine bush that has been growing steadily in there for the last several years is no longer cute and had to go.
So, when Craig was done with the hedges, he dug out the bush and replanted it in the back yard. When he was all done, he joined me in the veggie garden where I pointed out that one of the broccoli plants had started to bolt. He decided it must still be edible.
He munched on the bolting stalks, flowers and all. The verdict: still tastes like broccoli!
Well, phew. We try not to let anything go to waste. Especially on a gorgeous, sunny, super warm October day. I love weekends like this!
Tags: autumn, broccoli, gardening, gratitude, yard work
Posted in Household Management 101, The Growing Season | No Comments »
I cannot believe that today is the last day of September. Wow. I also can’t believe that the garden is still going. I am just now starting to pick tomatillos!
Here is what the tomatillo plant looked like in mid-summer.
And now there are little hanging tomatillo lanterns with a tart green fruit inside.
I have been combing through cookbooks and websites to try to find fun tomatillo recipes. And I think tomorrow I am going to try for a tomatillo chicken stew.
I just think tomatillos are so elegant looking.
So fall is definitely here, but we are still having some fantastic warm temps in the 70s. I have been outside running or walking almost every night for the past 3 weeks. And we’ve also gotten our fair share of rain over the past weeks as well, which has greatly helped with growing grass. And now the tomatillos are ripe and ready to be picked. My own little fall harvest.
The garden is still doing its thing, and I take great comfort in that. It greatly helps with my denial that fall is here and that it is pitch black out by 7 p.m.
For reals.
Tags: autumn, exercise, gardening, gratitude, organic, running, tomatillo
Posted in The Daily Balance, The Growing Season | No Comments »
