bits of days.

We've been settling into the season a bit lately. We have had those days that are busy busy out of the house as we finish up the fall - days where we do so much of a thing and I take photos and want to share. And now we transition to days that on the surface I think are just little bits and feel I have nothing to share - which is funny, because in reality they are SO much more!



Home days are the days we love the most - while we enjoy 'activities' out and about all of us get a bit drained when in crowds and really LOVE coming back home to center and unwind and just be together. Not to mention we have so much we want to DO!



Of course this is the season for home - the weather gets colder, we cozy up, we craft, we read, we make, we bake, we share, we learn, we do, we wander and return, we play ... and then we do it again. We tuck in and keep asthma boy away from crowds and viruses and hopefully keep him healthy for the winter and his birthday (He's turning six!!! SIX! And his head is as big as a GIANT turnip!).



So some days it just seems like there isn't any'thing' to share. It is just bits. But all of those bits together make something very special. My kind of special.



So we go along, big days and small days, life feeling just right. We wait and hope and cross our fingers for snow. We spend time together at home, we are busy with our projects, and wander outside as a family in the nice crisp air.



Just what we all look forward to this time of year.

"In family life, be completely present."
- Lao Tsu

Yep, what he said.


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so much.

Oh, this time of year is ... so much. So much beauty, so much change. So much to see, so much to balance. So much to look forward to, so much to get ready for. So much happiness, so much melancholy, so much sunshine, so much rain. Each season brings so much - we change our wardrobe, our activities, our day to day. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is...not so easy. So we tuck in, snuggle up, create traditions and rituals to help our passage to the next season go smoothly. To remind us, center us. We find comfort in remembering what it is that comes next, and soothe our bodies as they adjust to the light, the dark, the heat, the cold, the dry, the wet.







It's all so much. I love fall.


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early darkness.

Ahhh. We finally had a week of cooler sunny days and mild evenings with that lovely earlier darkness. While on the one hand early darkness means getting tired earlier in the evening, it also means we get to spend more time out in the dark.

My guys have always been early to bed early to rise. Even when we used to try to get them to stay up a little later when they were younger (delusional, I know) - thinking they might finally "sleep in" in the mornings - the more we realized they are just early risers (as they get older they manage to stay up a little later, but are still early birds!). That means that in the summer when it got dark later, they were often inside and sleepy before the darkest night. So early dark has meant they have been able to be outside with their friends/neighbors playing in the darkness. And playing outside in the dark means they have been finding things that glow and light up!



There have been glowing bikes and helmets and skateboards, hide and seek using light up sabers, flashlights and headlamps, and walks at night with many kids and parents to see all of the 'spooky' decorations around the block.


There has even been a glowing bath, and attempts at glowing hula hoops!


I have always liked the dark - cozying up earlier, feeling the pull of home, slowing down, the cycles of the seasons. But we are not quite ready to slow down - right now the dark is to explore, enjoying being out in the evenings before it gets so cold, being with friends, having fun!

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heat wave.

I haven't been blogging much this week because while we have been inside a bit every day working on our projects, I haven't had much sit down at the computer time. In between our projects and crafts we have also been outside as much as possible, watching our world change colors and the plants do their end of the season thing, all under the bluest sky.


There is so much to see this time of year, and we feel like we must see it all, before the wind blows it all away, leaving cold and bare, and winter comes.


For the past few weeks we have been doing our daily walks later so we can wait for the morning chill to dissipate after the nice cold fall nights...but a heat wave descended on us a few days ago and threw us off, and we have been having a hard time switching to getting out EARLY for our walk before the heat and humidity hit.


It seems so odd to be out and about in a world full of combines, grain trucks, golds and oranges, falling leaves and fields of gold ... and hot tropical air?


But either way, we go out out OUT, and when it is too hot for them, the boys zoom as fast as they can to the end of the trail or path, sweating and red, ready to get something cold to drink and to get into the shade, not caring that if they just slow down it won't be so hot! ;)


I hear fall temps might be returning some time soon - can't wait. Hopefully in time for our short visit to Minnesota!

(crazy:: Madison set a record high Saturday of 85º, a full 23 degrees higher than normal for this time of year.)

feels like fall.

Ever since the autumn equinox we have had sunny, warmish weather. Every day has been lovely, but hasn't felt like autumn. Today was cool and crisp, windy and ever changing. It felt just like fall. We dug out some fleeces and hats, put on warm pants and long sleeves, and hit one of our favorite wooded parks. This time of year we want to be surrounded by trees - so we can listen to the wind in the leaves and see the amazing colors.


Of course the boys also love this park not only for the trees, but because some of the equipment is made of WOOD. A more natural looking tower - perfect for forts and ships and adventures. They LOVE that.


I love fall. I am not a warm weather person at all and look forward to the colder air. It was so nice to stand bundled up, even cold enough that the boys asked for gloves (um, haven't dug them out yet!).


As they played the clouds rolled in, the skies darkened, and the wind picked up. The boys ran for the warmth of the car, fingers numb, noses and cheeks red. We drove to a local bakery for some sweet treats and warm drinks. A wonderful fall afternoon.


Tonight it is going to be 32º - bye bye mosquitoes, and good night garden. Love it!

+++++

I take photos of the boys so often - and love seeing how much they change in my lens. Sometimes I am surprised by a shot, a face or look that makes one of them seem so different, so big. Today I took a photo of A when he was talking to his brother about something, and he had such a look. Yes, so different, so big. So amazing to watch, this big kid of mine.

outside days.

There are some places we go where we all just feel so calm and happy and grounded. While we spend a lot of time OUTside, some places are just ... more. Devil's Lake is one of our favorite places - it is so beautiful. Due to too much road construction for awhile there, we haven't been as often as we like. Yesterday we headed up for the afternoon. It was a perfect afternoon - not too hot, not too cold, sunny, and with practically empty beaches and trails. The water is even still warm!




My oldest, A, has a hard time living in his skin sometimes - for lack of better words to describe it. But get him outside in a big empty beach, park or forest, and he is happy, relaxed, and focused. He and his brother spent hours in the lake, stacking stones, building rock sculptures, skipping stones and trying to capture little fish in rock rings to observe them. Pure bliss.



Of course we also had a picnic under a big purple tree, went on a hike, looked at the orange leaves falling under some of the trees, collected black walnuts (G is collecting tree seeds/nuts), watched animals and studied plants and moss, looked at of the amazing purple and pink quartzite rocks (created by a glacier 12,000 years ago), and just had a wonderful afternoon.


I know that having something like that in our backyard, far from close together houses, hard pavement and urban busy'ness would be so wonderful for all of us, but especially for A. Some day we hope to move out of town a little for acres and space -


Until then we will always go to find the places that make us feel happy and calm and grounded as often as possible. We are all happiest there, after all.

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fall back.

I love the smells and sounds of fall - although this fall has been so cold, wet and gray it hasn't seemed much like fall! In a way I wasn't surprised that my back 'went out' again when the cold wet weather hit a few weeks back. So - I have been pretty much out with back pain and immobility for several weeks. But after five (long) months of physical therapy, I feel like I have it more under control and know what to do when it gets bad. This time I've been hurting but I have kept it from getting emergency room bad. And thankfully I have been getting better over the past few days. Exercise, ice, no long computer time, no long sitting. So long story longer, I've been away for a bit, but am feeling like I am now on the mend and having less pain every day, and so hope to share more of our busy fall!


It has been nice, in a way, to have this back set-back during the cold wet dark dreary days we've been having. If it had been sunny and gloriously autumn, it would have felt like we were missing out. But with the dark cold, the boys have been happy to work on their projects, putter with science kits, read new books, build things, watch interesting DVDs from the library, create books/comics, play with the rabbit, and just be home a bit more.

Of course we have been out and about a bit - some fun excursions on those days the sun made a brief appearance - out to see the colors and birds and sun. And the early darkness has meant a lot of fun with light sabers, glow stick inventions, pumpkins and all of those other dark loving projects.



More later, but for now, I'm happy to be able to sit at this computer - even if only for a short time! :)