We finally woke up to a hard frost. It could not have been more fitting. Yesterday, we mowed for the very last time of the year, finished mulching leaves, cleaned out the woodshed (for today’s chopping session) and picked up the garden irrigation system. We transitioned as Mother Nature finally transitioned. And having said that, it’s supposed to be 70 degrees on Tuesday.
Still, there is nothing like a frosty morning to remind you: it’s fall, the holidays are here and it’s time to just enjoy the winddown. Now that the yard is finally finished? We can enjoy the winddown.
Today’s agenda may not seem like it – we are chopping wood after all – but it’s a great zen experience, much like a clothesline. Each piece that gets chopped is a teeny tiny investment in winter warmth. A full wheelbarrow? That’s an afternoon into evening fire to be enjoyed. That includes warming your backside after clearing snow, looking over at a crackling fire while you complete the day’s work, enjoying a glass of wine after dinner and curling up by the fire with five furries.
Yep, it’s time. It was a glorious, glorious summer that extended well into October. For the first time in memory, I was wearing shorts on Halloween. But now, it’s time. I met old friends at the grocery store yesterday who said the same thing: they were ready for fall weather.
For so many years, I hated winter. Likely, a part of me still does. But ever since my sisters and I decided to either cross country ski or hike on Fridays in winter, I’ve learned to love the season. (It doesn’t hurt that I don’t have to drive in snow these days either.) And learning to love the season means that I can now fully enjoy having all four seasons. That, honestly, is spectacular. I really do love each of them in turn. Spring’s promise when the earth slowly warms up, flowers bloom and the whole year lays out before us; summer’s blast which rips up the script and we move largely outside for 16-17 hours of daylight a day; fall’s crisp, cool mornings and early evenings that seem to remind you that it’s time to enjoy family and traditions; and winter’s rest with picturesque frozen days where the snow truly glistens from the trees and the weak sunlight reminds you that it’s okay to stay inside and be warm.
By all accounts, it has been a fabulous weekend here. Friday night was laid back and relaxed and Saturday was productive and closed the chapter on the season. We took in a movie last night and fell back somewhere around 2 a.m. for an extra hour of sleep. Today’s wood chopping session will be matched with football and Sunday dinner, which will include moose burgers as a friend brought us some moose meat. Honestly? I don’t think I could have scripted it better. And now that I have a few minutes of completely unplanned time, it’s time to ponder this upcoming holiday season. I live for this time all year and I now have this next two months to simply relax and enjoy. On my list? Oh, well thank you for asking! I’ve got a whole holiday fun-time list and it goes a little something like this:
- Go to the movies (again)
- Have a movie night at home
- Dance in the kitchen while we make dinner
- Go to the Christmas Tree Farm and cut down our own tree
- Decorate said tree while my husband makes us a cocktail
- Go for a winter hike – or better yet, a sled riding session
- Have wine and snacks by the fire
- Shop and wrap gifts with my sisters
- Decorate a room in each of my niece’s homes (it’s a gift we’re doing for them this year)
- Read a book
- Complete a jigsaw puzzle
- Go out to dinner with friends
- Watch a Christmas special (or two)
- Have a big family dinner night
- Bake cookies with my sisters
And honestly? That’s my starter list. I know, I know… I live in a Hallmark Christmas Movie AFTER the movie ends. I have already quit my job for a laid-back work-from-home experience, I live out in the country less than 7 miles from where I grew up, I’ve reconnected with old friends and have an incredibly close relationship with my sisters and their families. I even married the handsome guy I thought I’d never meet – though he does not wear a lot of flannel. (He’s going to have to work on that.) Honestly, I know how very, very lucky I am and I definitely enjoy every second. But this year? This year is my sabbatical and my opportunity to soak in every last second. Starting with today’s frosty morning, I’m intending to do just that.
The Yuppie Homesteader 