1. Fall in Colorado. It was a more abrupt shift between seasons than we typically experience. Usually it slowly gets cooler and darker, the green fades and starts to turn gold and orange and red. This year, with our early snow following right after a day over 90 degrees made things a little different. One day it was summer, the next winter, and a few after that, it was suddenly fully fall. The cooler weather and changing colors and the way the natural world starts to slow down has always been my favorite time of year.
2. Fall garden. We are still getting tomatoes, and the pumpkins and rhubarb are ripe. This is the first year the rhubarb was big enough to actually pick and use. I had about two cups, so I googled “rhubarb recipes” and found this muffin recipe from Martha Stewart — so good!
Pumpkin covered in wildfire ash
3. Morning walks. It’s been so dark, I was afraid I wouldn’t get any good pictures, but I did. Just about when we get to the ponds by the river, the sun starts to come up. And as much as I miss Sam (like crazy) and how weird it feels to have just one dog, walking just one dog is SO much easier. I’m trying to enjoy it while I can.
4. Support. This past week was a doozy. I’m trying to keep it together, but the fires, global pandemic, police violence, the quickly approaching election with all its possible outcomes, etc. has me on edge. And yet, texting with my mom and brother, writing and hanging out with Mikalina, my therapist, practice, reading dharma books, napping, getting in the pool, going on walks, listening to podcasts, etc. are so helpful.
5. My tiny family. As hard as it may be sometimes to do my work on my laptop at the kitchen table, not always have direct access to my office and my stuff, I still like having Eric home more often. Ringo has been spending some time on Sam’s couch, which is both sweet and sad.
Bonus joy: tea with Janice, lunch with Carrie, aqua aerobics, sitting in the infrared sauna with Eric, listening to audio books and podcasts, how cool it is in the morning, cooking, making a meal from scratch without a recipe just using what we have, having all the laundry done and put away, Ringo’s belly and toe and razor burn all healed up, “singing” with Ringo and Eric, grocery pick up, yard time, being invited to write something for the next issue of Mabel Magazine, clean air and water, all those who continue to risk their own health and safety so that we have food and shelter and healthcare.
