Five on Friday: It's Fall, Y'all

 Ok, there's no denying it now. It's the first morning in months that the temperature has been this low (38), and the woodstove is ticking behind me as I type this. It's Fall, Y'all!

1. With the acceptance of Fall creeping in, I've been enjoying some seasonal favorites: pumpkin spice coffee in my morning cup, and an occasional Shipyard Pumpkin Ale in the evening, in a glass with a cinnamon sugar rim. Yum! I think it was in 2020 that I tried other pumpkin beers but found this original to be the best tasting. Do you have a favorite pumpkin or fall flavored beer?

2. Since I last blogged, I have also planted our mums and put out other seasonal decorations, inside and out. I have at least some fall decor in all the main rooms downstairs. At the flea market last weekend, a lady was selling her handmade decorations, and I had to get one of her fall swags. It goes perfectly on one of the doors in our stove room. It is satisfying to purchase that one piece that looks like it was meant to be in your house, in that exact location that you placed it.

3. Steve and I have enjoyed burning Yankee Candles for as long as we've lived together. The fall and winter candles are our absolute favorites, and we have a rotation that we burn every year. We used to start off every fall with their Apple Cider candle, but wouldn't you know it, they discontinued it. So, this year we've started with Apple Pumpkin instead, and it has not disappointed! We place it in the center of our dining room table, and it fills our home with such a warm and cozy smell. Our other fall favorites include Autumn Leaves and Harvest.

4. Yet another great thing about fall? The return of favorite TV shows! Survivor is back on, and it's a weekly treat for Steve, Rosie & I. (House rule: you have to be 11 to watch... Buddy enjoys playing Minecraft during that time and will be joining us for the next season in 2023!)

5. You know that one author you like to read who never disappoints? One of those authors, for me, is Lianne Moriarty. I'm reading her latest, "Apples Never Fall", and I CANNOT PUT IT DOWN. So good! My excellent 2022 reading journey continues...

Have a great weekend!

Five on Friday: A Wedding, a Falling Tree and Other Things

Happy Friday!

1. I officiated my first wedding as a Justice of the Peace this past Saturday. It couldn't have been a more perfect first wedding... it was two minutes from my house, in a beautifully decorated backyard on a picturesque September afternoon. The Bride & Groom are wonderfully matched and I know they are going to enjoy many happy years together!

2. Tuesday morning started off like any other when, all of a sudden, around 7am, we heard the strangest sound from outside. It didn't sound like a crash; it sounded like a huge amount of snow sliding off a roof or something. Imagine our surprise when we looked out and saw that one of our huge Sugar Maple trees just keeled over, falling onto the Ash tree next to it! It really stunned us. This wasn't during a storm, or with any wind present. It just... happened... completely out of the blue. A closer inspection of the trunk found it completely hollow and rotted out. We had no idea! It hadn't looked "sick" from the outside, it had a full canopy of leaves. We called our friendly Tree Warden, who connected us with a local tree service company. They're coming today, which is amazing turnaround time. We are incredibly thankful.

3. I finished our first puzzle of the season this week! We always have a jigsaw puzzle out Labor Day through Memorial Day. Our first one this year was an "I Love Cape Cod" White Mountain puzzle that I bought (you guessed it) when we were on the Cape with family last month. It was so much fun putting it together! One of my favorite weekend traditions is to enjoy some morning puzzle time with Steve and a cup of coffee. The kids haven't shown much interest, but I always try to invite them! I can't blame them...I didn't enjoy puzzles at their age, either. Maybe it's something you have to grow into.

4. The book I'm currently reading is Anxious People, by Fredrik Backman. What a story! I love Backman's books and this one is no exception. It's causing me to go to bed later than I should because I can't put it down. Can't wait to see where it goes next.

5. We have been watching Only Murders in the Building on Hulu, and it's as funny and entertaining as everyone said it was! We're doing just one episode at a time, old school style. That's what happens when kids go to bed at 8pm, and parents go to bed at 9pm.

Have a great weekend!

Five on Friday

School is back in session, the first of my two elections is over, and I have an itch to start writing again. I thought it would be fun to use a favorite blog outline called “Five on Friday” to start with.

1. Did I mention the first of my two fall elections is over?! It went smoothly and the November election doesn’t feel as daunting. One of my favorite traditions is ensuring I have a Recovery Day the next day where I don’t leave home at all. I putter around the house, catch up on podcasts, maybe grab a quick nap, and generally decompress. I felt so refreshed by the time yesterday evening rolled around.

2. While setting up an election during this kind of weather wasn’t fun, the two rainy days we had earlier this week were a welcome surprise. We needed it badly! The crunchy brown grass of our lawn this summer was alarming. According to our rain gauge, we received just under 3.5 inches. Hoping for more soon! Is there anything cozier than a rainy fall day, curled up under a blanket on the couch, watching a favorite show or reading a great book? I can’t wait.

3. Speaking of reading, I am having a terrific reading year! I have discovered three new favorite authors since January: Kristin Hannah, Taylor Jenkins Reid and Elin Hilderbrand. I’ve caught up on TJR’s newest books and have read three KH books and two of EH. I’ve read 23 books total so far this year. I know people who have read double that, but for the season of life that I’m in, I’m pleased with my "number”.

4. Still enjoying summer vibes over here through summer decor and grilling. I used to change everything to fall decor once Labor Day hit but now I find myself holding onto summer as long as I can! It still feels like summer weather-wise. I know that once the chilliness sets in I'll be rooting around the attic for my box of autumn decor. But, until then, let summer reign! It is too short of a season.

5. This was the week that our school routine finally felt normal. Rosie is adjusting to Hampshire Regional with ease, and Buddy is enjoying the new dynamic of having two teachers. We're back to using the bus for the first time since March 2020. My favorite time of the day is when Rosie gets off her bus at 2:50pm, and we chat up a storm until Buddy's bus arrives at 3:35pm. Then the three of us talk about his day. It's super sweet. I hear things may change over the next few years, so I will enjoy this as long as I can. Also, Steve started his 18th year of teaching! Wowza. That makes me feel old...

Happy Weekend!