These days, all 5 senses are alive and noticing…

I’m Seeing:

*leaves of a thousand faces find a temporary home wherever they can tuck themselves

*Orange everywhere.  I just never tire of the look of a pile of pumpkins or squashes.  And so very soon, I know, it will be replaced by red and green.

*a shift in what can be discovered in our nature corner – from seashell and rock collections to gourd collections.

*a little baby belly poke his/her way out under my t-shirt…and the return of the “postpartum clothes” box out of basement storage

*my “inbox” sewing basket of unfinished projects looking tempting once again

*a new quilt pattern arriving in my mailbox and a fabric stash that might have just dwindled enough that I’ll need to go replenish (I have been so good)

*that it’s time to change the calendar over again (wasn’t it just a few days ago I flipped to October?)

 

I’m Hearing:

*my tummy grumbling for food in the late afternoons as darkness begins to fall earlier and earlier

*Alison Krauss on Pandora Radio, as she steals my heart and beckons my singing along in her endlessly perfect way.  I want to buy every last one of her records…

*…except the “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou” soundtrack which was a very favorite, until I sickened myself to death of the two tracks Orlis insists be on repeat.

*the rustle of all things falling from the trees — leaves, acorns, and fuzzy “ouch” balls from our neighbor’s yard…and the scurry of the squirrels who are getting smart about the winter to come

*duets of guitar that make me cringe a little, at my own rustiness, but smile too, at the naive and welcoming ears my toddler has for my playing

*the Mary Poppins soundtrack, and the most unexpected member of our household singing along at top volume.

*a change in the bird calls outside our windows and on our walks — the chickens next door shout to announce an upcoming egg, and the blackbirds and bluebirds have raised their volume to alert each other: “more good stuff over here!  get it quick!”

I’m Smelling:

*wet leaves, dry leaves, composting leaves — where did all of these leaves come from?

*the aromas of a 8-hour meal filling my home.  I received a slow cooker for my birthday and am not sure, at this point, how I ever lived without one.  I’ve been making my way through the book, “I Love my Slow Cooker,” making stews and soups and long-cooked meats, and it’s true!  I love my slow cooker!

*the accompanying scent of fall: apples.  Bowls of them filling my kitchen and our bellies, and the scent of them filling my heart with nostalgia and warmth.

*wet pavement, wet soil, wet shoes — our great rains return, relieving us from a generous summer sun and replenishing the earth for the year to come

I’m Tasting:

*apple cider, apple pie, applesauce, apple-millet muffins, and an apple-a-day which, knock on wood, is keeping the doctor away

*the last the gorgeous red tomatoes filing in with the rest of the weekly CSA vegetables and onto the top of my bagel in the morning.  Hmmm…I’ll miss these gals.  We had a good summer together.

*potato leek soup, butternut squash soup, and any other soup that calls for pureeing.  I also got an immersion blender for my birthday which feels, in my arms and my mind, like a magic wand

*potatoes, pretzels, pasta, pizza — the 1st trimester does, indeed, call for a moratorium on purity, right?  Eat what you crave!

I’m feeling:

*nesting energy intensify: I’ve got quilts to make, final boxes to unpack, whole rooms to organize, articles to write, workshops to lead, lasagnas to freeze, and only 6 months to do it all

*the warm replacement of flannel sheets, and their effect on my ability to roll out of bed in the morning

*immense love and gratitude that across miles and differences, my mother, brother, and I can agree on at least one thing: Orange is the color of the season

*a drop in temperatures that signified the return of the hat and scarf basket, another dig into the old quilt trunks, a more frequent nightly bath schedule, and a rise in the power bill (and subsequent return to the hat and scarf basket for indoor wear)

*the terribly faint but totally unmistakeable flutter in my belly that reminds me, moment to moment, of the joy who will be here soon enough

*a brisker pace, a deeper joy, and an enlivened imagination that signify, for me, the bustle of this season, the holidays ahead, and the great haul of winter just around the corner

 

 

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