The gifts of the Autumn season

The gifts of the season...

The eventual realization the autumn season has quickly landed upon us has not yet been fully realized or accepted yet for our family. With high temperatures reaching proportions upwards to ninety degrees this past week, and with the exquisitely sky-filled glow of a full moon several evenings in a row, it's been such a lovely blessing to fall into our slumbers under the moonlight beams shining upon us through the window panes.

The painted back smaller porch

How great to have such wonderful sunny days, leaving us all yearning with desire to continue with the days of summer (yet it's Fall!) and the activities that season beholds. When the afternoon heat creeps the interior temperatures of the house over eighty degrees, and it’s time to switch on the air-conditioning once more, this week it’s been….off to the beach we pitter-patter and scurry to.

And to the beach we go is right on the mark this past week...

• to sit and be
• breathe in the scent of the sea
• absorb ourselves in listening to the sounds of the waves
• observe and enjoy the water toys swishing by
• admiring the many folks still (like us) in summer mode extensions
• shoo the pigeons away
• collect shells
• take a dip in the warm beach side waters
• take a long walk along the white sandy shores
• watch the silly farm tractors creeping into the water to fetch their water vessels

….and just love taking this time out to be still, for the sole purpose of life’s pleasures of soaking up the sun and sitting by the water's edge.

Ahhhhhh……

I suppose it’s time to absorb the season change for sure, however it’s days such as these we are left scratching our heads, grateful for an extension of summer play. We see all around us the leaves are rapidly changing their color hues and casting an autumn landscape for all to see, but the weather? Wow!

"Buster" stealing things from the Bluejays again

Our back birdie garden has a flurry of activity these days, signs of autumn also prevalent for a visual reminder of the autumn season upon us. Buster the squirrel is flustered when the bluejays natter at him and command him back to the land beyond where he resides and calls his home. His mouth usually has a gift or two inside, probably a nut or piece of dried friend the cardinals and bluejays are feasting on from one of the feeders filled to the brim offering them plenty of protein out there.

"Bunny Bathtime", rather swim time from high temperatures

The animals are still enjoying their swims; a small child’s pool for the dogs and the rabbits were ecstatic to jump around in their makeshift pool inside of a large Rubbermaid container.

Yes, it’s been warm.

As the girls continue with horse riding next door and "Ashes" graciously enables their daily riding sessions, they return home with wet heads from building heat inside their helmets, both dripping in sweat as it rolls down their beaming faces. After all, this has been a special time of riding bareback, thus the heat is on…sitting right upon the horse’s back that is!

Riding bareback is hotter than with a saddle!

The boys continue with their daily hockey play outdoors in the sports court with the friends from down the road, but we have to watch the temperature for the best time to keep cool out there as well. Imagine that! So, much reading indoors has been the order of the day around here in the heat of the afternoon.

How can a book be dangerous?

Yes, it’s been quite wonderful in fact to revel in such moments presented to us such as these lovely days.

Yes, we also needed some rain to fall, and this week it came accompanied by a thunder and lightning storm which we ended up in the midst of when traveling back from our sudden road trip to Toronto. We had the perfect weather to take advantage of another marvelous adventure, before the winter season thrusts us into hibernation. Admittedly the idea for the trip came on impulse at first, but with our son becoming "carded" for a travel hockey league, there won't be many available time frames to escape in the near future (YES, he made the team!!! - the Hockey Hall of Fame looked very good to him while in Toronto!)

Consequently too, I apologize for being defined as "M.I.A.", so if you haven't heard from me lately, that would more than likely be why. I owe a few emails out there, sorry.

The folks at the weather network are still predicting warm temperatures for the next fourteen-day forecast. What more can we want for optimal comfort or for something to be incredibly thankful for with Thanksgiving fast approaching.

Next week we have a family of dear friends arriving from the west to visit for a few days, while on their way to an extended family Thanksgiving reunion not too far from our home. As we prepare for their time with us, we are truly thankful for the weather forecast for sure, gratefully so. Terrific!

In all things - Give Thanks!

These are the days my friend, get out and enjoy them if you’re lucky enough not to be a duck in Vancouver! (grin)