Aaahhhhh…You can almost hear the collective exhale as we make our way through September. The hectic days of late August are behind us, and we are settling into new routines at work, school, in the garden, and at home. There is a welcome relief that comes along with the end of production and the beginning of rebirth. A new season has begun! And with it, the headiness of autumn. In my experience, autumn is a time for big thoughts and formative realizations. We are instinctually preparing our bodies for the long stretch of winter where–traditionally–we would be spending our time with our thoughts, our food, our families and our fire. Might as well start the whole hibernation mode with a clear brain–but first to sift through everything that has been brushed aside during the action packed summer!
Shadows of ourselves. September affords beautiful “golden hours” and a lot of shadow fun! This rural girl finds that concrete has some perks…
Nice post, Alex. This is the perfect time for me to sit, relax, and reflect on the moments. Bringing summer to an end and starting up fall is a great time to let go of some stress, especially before the crazy of the soon to be here holidays hits. I will make sure to spend extra time with the special people in my life and share many emotions and experiences.
You are very correct, Krista–the calm before the storm. Don’t miss it 🙂 Thanks for the comment, Hope you are great!
Well written post, Alex. You’re so right that we find it so hard to just be still and just be, soaking in,life and living through all the emotions, Changes, rather than constantly filling our lives with doing. I’m learning to slow when I need to and just stop and be. If only for short periods of time. It’s is so good for the soul, clearing for the emotions and mind and for overall health.
Love your pictures and life stories.
Take care
Denise
Australia
I look forward to winter because it is my “quiet time.” I’m a type-A, to-do list achiever. I count things. 24 pints of strawberry jam canned! 8 pounds of summer squash picked! 20 hours of extra paid work completed this week! Only 3 loads of laundry!
One would think I am too busy to think, or to contemplate, or to ponder. They would be wrong. When I garden, where is my brain? On other things. Thinking, pondering. When I work on crocheting a new rug, or cutting up peaches for a pie, folding mountains of towels and underwear, where is my brain? On other things.
It’s the ultimate in multi-tasking. And some would say I work too hard, I do too much, but the truth is, I feel awful when I don’t finish to-do lists or accomplish goals. There is a lot of anxiety in not finishing, and that is worse than being ultra-busy. In my world, anyway. I wouldn’t change a thing. I really wouldn’t.
enjoyed reading your post. I want to go sit and relax now, and I will make a point of doing just that very soon. your kids are so cute!
Fall is a time to relax and appreciate the season with its beautiful colors,crisp ,cool air and cozy nights.
Marilyn
Don’t worry about a “professional life” when your babies are growing up! I always figured my babies WERE my life at that point. My “babies” are now 56, 51 and 43 years old and THEIR babies are mostly grown up! I will never regret the time I spent with all of them! I homeschool my 11 year old grandson and the other day, I took him along to my art guild meeting. We were working with “gelli prints”. He had a fantastic bunch of art teachers that day and ended up producing some amazing things, right along with those of us who have been artists for decades. When his sisters were younger, they went along with me to learn how to weave chair seats and we wove quite a few on 100 year old chairs owned by the local recreation center. Right now, we are off to the local historical society meeting, where he is the youngest active member. Children can be part of “real life” and get an education at the same time! Those of us who are learning right along with them don’t notice how old we are!