First Day of Autumn

Zac took this picture of me the other day, early in the morning, and I thought it would be a perfect *visual* for all of my blog readers...to see me just as I am around our home...comfy in my sweater, armed with an apron (there are many battles between myself and dirt, bread dough, water...all day long)my long skirts forever comfortable and serviceable, and my long hair tied back to escape tugging little hands. Morning coffee, a must for me. Is there really anything like a good cup of coffee? Really, for all of you who don't enjoy it, learn. Just the smell alone is enough for me to want to start any day. Maybe not WANT to start, but the morning DOES start much more agreeably when I've had my dark brown tonic.
This morning I had Bible study so I hurried to wash diapers and get them on the line before leaving. Might I say that for now on I want to hang my clothes before 9 am because I realized, this very morning, that the sun wasn't in my eyes while I was hanging diapers. Normally when I hang out the wash I'm squinting so hard I can barely make out where to put the next pin...not so this morning! The sun was just low enough for our fence to block it's shining face. Speaking of the sun...
The sun is definitely my friend. I was washing dishes a few moments ago, my hands immersed in hot soapy, lavender scented water. Mind you I have a dishwasher...but when I see that sunshine coming through that kitchen window, David Nevue piano music filling the air, I couldn't bare to put the dishes into the dishwasher and miss all that relaxation. To feel warmth caressing you face, the rhythmic motion of scrubbing away, the water just the perfect temperature...with Trini clanging pots on the floor near me...this ALMOST beats my morning coffee.
Today is the very first day of fall...a prefer to call it *autumn* because I can visualize pumpkins in a field better. Is there really anything quite like autumn, besides sunshine and coffee, I mean? The spicy fragrance of cinnamon and cloves, the crisp night air just perfect for my long brown sweater (or the purple one for that matter.) Oh my goodness, and let's not forget apples! Apples, apples, apples and more apples. I love everything about an apple. The shape, the wide range in sizes and textures, the colors...greens and roses, pinks and deep reds. And then all the things you can make out of an apple are endless...cakes and pies, jellies(never having actually made jelly but I have dreamed of it)apple butter and apple muffins, apple cider cold or hot. Did I mention just how much I love apples? Nothing quite beats a cup of steaming coffee, sunshine's fingers wrapped around you in autumn's afternoon as you bite into a crisp apple.