When the Frost Is On the Pumpkin...

According to the dollar store calendar that hangs by my desk (my mom puts one in my Christmas stocking every year), today is the first day of Autumn.

How on earth did that happen? Just yesterday I was rejoicing over the fact that there was daylight on my way to work.

Before I even knew what hit me the early morning daylight was gone. No more bike rides to work. No more turning the porch light off before I leave for the workday. No more wearing sunglasses on the way to work.

And just this week I realized that I can't take a bike ride after dinner because the sun was already setting.

Next thing you know, I'll be scraping the frost from my windshield every morning.

And then the real cold weather grumps will really set in!

Actually, I have been praying about this whole change-of-the-seasons thing. That may sound silly to you, but cold weather is a huge attitude challenge for me. Perhaps it's because I spent four years going to college in northern Wisconsin...perhaps it's because I'm a bit cold natured (massive understatement)...perhaps it's because I use a space heater & wear a sweatshirt every day of my working life...whatever the reason, I really dislike cold weather.

So I've been praying about it. Asking God to help me obey with little things like rejoicing always, trusting Him to know what is best for me & this lovely world He created, & being content. You know, just having a right spirit in my heart.

I've been mentally preparing a list of things about autumn that I can actually anticipate with a smile. Autumn is much easier to like than winter. When winter rolls around I'm going to have to work hard to make a list of things I can enjoy.

But for now, it's officially autumn & here is my list of happy autumn things:

Cooler weather to run in

Chilly evenings when I can stay inside & craft or read or watch tv or just do nothing without feeling like I have wasted time that I should have spent outside enjoying the lovely summer weather

Eating homemade soup

Hayrides

Candy corn

Fall festivals

Cold apple cider, sticky sweet donuts & a roaring campfire ~ an old family tradition that we observe at least once every fall! I actually have clipped an apple cider donut recipe that I want to give a try for our gathering this year.

A quiet house without the roar of the air conditioners

Tights & knee socks!

The beautiful changing colors in the leaves

Raking leaves

Beautiful, crisp, tart, yummy apples - to eat right off the core, to bake with, to make applesauce with...mmmm!

Pumpkins & mums on front porches

Getting ready for the upcoming holiday season: crafting, shopping, list making, dreaming...

Watching The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. No joke, my dad recorded this onto a VHS tape when I was a kid & the cable company gave a free preview of the Disney Channel. He pulls it out every year & we watch it all together. We are a super corny family, but we love our Ichabod Crane!

I feel better about the changing of the season already! I hope that you have your own little traditions & sweet things to anticipate. The Lord makes each season & time beautiful in it's own way, don't you think?*

*You can feel free to remind me that I said that when Old Man Winter is howling at my door! heehee!