I. Love. Fall. I'm grateful for the crisp, sometimes frosty air in the mornings. The glorious, brilliant, and ever-changing colors of the leaves. The crunch of said leaves underfoot once they've fallen off the trees. Raking piles of leaves just for the joy of jumping in them and doing it all over again. And raking again the next day because of the overnight windstorm. Pumpkins. Pumpkin lattes. Pumpkin pie. Pumpkin doughnuts. The brilliant sunshine still beaming with a barely perceptible hint of warmth (at least here in North Idaho). Finding apples, squash, potatoes, and garlic at the end-of-season farmers' markets. Fresh pressed apple cider. Hayrides. Soft gray skies, banked clouds, and sheets of rain that make it not only okay but necessary to have a fire in the fireplace with hot chocolate, rich coffee, or spiced tea the almost mandatory beverage of choice.
Fall also ushers in shorter days, less sunlight, and the end of Daylight-Saving Time. That one always throws me for a loop. I have to consciously focus on the good things that happen during our fall and winter months. The various fairs around the region. College basketball starting. High school, college, and pro football in full swing. Digging out my warm sweaters and fuzzy socks. And snowshoes, parkas, winter boots, and Yaktraxs just in case it snows! Simmering soup in the instant pot. Canning. Fresh bread in the oven. Ski season. Appreciating the sunrise from inside the house. Finding the perfect pinecone. Planning the holidays with family. Hiking to wear out the growing puppy.
But my favorite part of fall (besides family birthdays) is Thanksgiving. It's a busy, usually labor-intensive holiday with lots of organizing, hunting out favorite recipes, and purchasing food. And it often involves hours on my feet prepping, cooking, and dealing with seemingly endless dishes. It also involves the Macy's Day parade on in the background, the dog show, the Lions playing football, and the promise of connecting with
whatever family members are available that year. Now that we share our adult kids with the in-laws, our day could end up including two or thirty-two guests. I think the max that we hosted was forty-five. It was a crazy, crammed to the gills day with too much food and an overflow of love, noise, laughter, and chaos. I loved wandering about, in between cooking duties, stepping into pockets of conversation, winding through pick-up games of tag and touch football (mostly outside), and finding a place for yet another jacket, purse, and diaper bag. I loved answering to the calls of "mom", "sis", "grandma", "auntie", "cousin", and "honey".
This fall is extra special because a new member joined our family. My great niece, Miss Ellie, was born on my late, maternal grandmother's birthday. Welcome, sweet little one. Grandma Gordon would've loved to know you share her special day. Give thanks for the joy in your life. Happy Thanksgiving, friends!
You share beautifully about the many extraordinary joys of this Thanksgiving season! I love Thanksgiving because it doesn't involve all the gift-giving of Christmas, but rather is just about families coming together to eat and enjoy each other's company. Congratulations to being a new Great Aunt! So very exciting, and I hope you get to enjoy baby snuggles this season! Many blessings to you!