Prairie Points

Friday, October 19, 2012

The autumn of my life.

Fall arrived nearly a month ago. It's been a gloriously beautiful season this year. Last year, not so much. The trees have been so vibrant and colorful that it's been nearly breathtaking at times.  I love it. It's my favorite time of year, but it's too fleeting.  It isn't fair that the sucking heat and humidity of summer can go on and on and on for what seems like forever, and the beauty of autumn is here and gone in an instant. When I was young, I loved the beginning of the school year, because I knew it meant fall was imminent.  I loved the transition from late summer to the crisp, cool days of fall. I loved taking walks in the woods and doing leaf identification and watching squirrels scamper with cheeks puffed full of acorns and seeds.  I am an autumn. Those are my colors. I look best in those colors, I feel best surrounded by those colors (except for orange, and WHY did I make a turquoise quilt??), and there is just no denying I love it beyond measure:
I love the first cup of honey-sweetened hot tea in the morning. I love heating up the oven by baking bread and muffins and stews and roasted root vegetables.  I don't even mind the first couple of days of leaf raking.  I love pulling on the sweatshirts and long jeans, and if necessary the corduroy or red flannel shirt for the extra warmth. I love having to wear socks with my shoes to keep my toes warm.

I love driving around and seeing how others have decorated their yards for the season and the excitement leading up to Halloween. Halloween. That special day for some, but soooo special for us. That is the day, 23 years ago this year, that we dodged goblins on the way to the hospital for the birth of our wonderful son. He was supposed to be a turkey, but decided to be a pumpkin instead. We call him Boo sometimes. 

I have always loved sassafras.  The way it smells, looks and it's many uses amuse me.  Sassafras tea is delicious. The tree has three different shaped leaves and in the fall, it's just gorgeous:
Fall is when the geese fly south. It's when the summer sounds recede and the sounds of the metal beasts can be heard as they devour the crops in the fields. It's a ritual that's comforting in it's predicability.

Fall is when the promise of the new life that arrives in spring has either congratulated itself on a job well done, or has been scolded for being a slacker.  Most years, awards are given.  Fall is fleeting. Soon, those vivid colors will be in piles on the ground, fading from glorious oranges, yellows and reds to drab browns and even black. It's the circle of life here in the midwest, and I love it.  I don't even mind when this is the result:

But, I'm not ready. I need another week or three before I am ready to turn around in a circle three times and lie down for the winter.  The hustle and bustle of the holidays will be here soon, the pumpkins will be in flat, mushy piles tossed in fields or backyards, and the pages of the calendar will again flip to the next months. Soon, the calendar itself will be replaced.  That's just how it is. That's how it works. Stick a fork in it, the year is done. We'll be dealing with this too soon:
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Not Yet.

I want more autumn. I waited all winter, spring and summer for it. I will embrace each day, pulling on the Cuddleduds if need be, in order to enjoy it.  Even with the necessary chores that have to be taken care of, it's a joy to work ouside when it's beautiful.  Well, enough of this. You get the picture. Don't look for an I-love-winter post in February. It won't be there, because I'll be true to my autumn. I'll endure winter, skip through the tulips come spring, and wipe the sweat off my forehead while gardening next summer, but all the while, I'll be keeping memories of this in my heart:
Enjoy.

Red, Orange and Yellow Autumn Blessings,
Brenda

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Rendezvous out yonder.

Busy, busy, busy. That's what I've been. DH and I have been doubling down on getting a little rental house in Decatur ready to sell. We've fixed a shed, torn out a small deck, painted on a porch, used scrapers to get ick off a concrete porch, mowed and mowed, cut down a couple of small trees, and that's just the outside stuff. We're getting all that done while the weather is still good. Lots more to do inside, but it will be just cute as a button soon.  On my rare days off, I've been getting ready for the fall festivals and bazaars I signed up for.  The first is this weekend, and it should be so much fun. The weatherman says the weather will be fabulous for it.  It is a Rendezvous, just west of Moweaqua.  There will be old canvas-style tents, maybe a teepee or two (?), re-enactors in the garb of old, demonstrations of all kinds, blue-grass music at 2:00 by Thrashin' Grass, a great local band and just all kinds of hoo-rawin'.  Come on out and see me.  I haven't had as much time as I'd like to get ready, but I have managed to make up some soaps in a few of the old, favorite scents. I have a spicy apple, vanilla-scented oatmeal-honey, cinnamon hand scrub, lavender-chamomile, and hippy chic (this one is a sandalwood scented bar with patchouli sprinkled on it.)  The quantities are limited somewhat, just a dozen bars of a couple of them, since my method of production has changed and the final output is so much smaller.  It's a good way to ease back into soapmaking on a limited basis, I think.  Anywhoo, here's what I have, pre-labeling:
If I get more time between now and Saturday (hahahahaha), I'll try to stir up another batch or two. If I don't get it done in time for this event, I'll be a vendor at the Clark Farm's "In Plain Air" farm event near Herrick the last weekend in October, at the Shelbyville Craft Vendor show on November 3, and the Moweaqua Methodist Cookie Walk and Bazaar on December 1. 

I've also been gathering odds and ends on short jaunts around the yard, and assembled these pretty fall swags:

The colors aren't a bit true in the pictures, but you get the idea.  I love the dried grasses and of course the sweet annie base adds the green and the soft, sweet scent.  I'll add a bow or ribbon in fall colors and these will be available on Saturday.

You've already seen the mug rugs I've made, and sadly there are still only two of the Halloween print rugs. I'm hoping I can add a few between now and then.  What I need is a rainy day. Oh, wait!!  That's today!!  DH and I are so stiff and sore we decided to take today off, so I'm freeeeee for a few hours. Yippee.


I am looking forward to being around many of my friends, being in the old-timey atmosphere, listening to good music and generally enjoying a gorgeous fall day.  If you're in the area, why not come out?  To get there, just go west of Moweaqua, on the blacktop.  Drive past the golf course and in about another mile or so, watch for the sign on the north side of the road. There may be more signage up that day, but there's a lovely hand-painted sign up now. You can't miss it.  If you come to the crossroads where a large rock pile used to sit, you've gone too far.  Hope to see you out yonder, if the good Lord's willin' and the creek don't rise.

Happy fall blessings,
Brenda

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Never a dull moment.

I have been meeting myself coming and going. Mostly going...crazy. hahaha

There was a Hotel California concert to go to (priorities, you know!!), and a few other fun things, but mostly work, work work.  The yard is in constant need of attention. Not just our own yard, but this one, too:

This is a little rental house we bought in Decatur.  We've been busy as all get-out working on getting this ready to sell. There is still much to do, but every few days, now that it's started raining again, I have to mow the yard. We've filled in low places in the backyard, sewn grass seed, repaired several bad areas on the backyard storage shed, and I've cleaned and cleaned, but more to do there, and there is just the basic stuff to make sure it "shines like a dime in a goat's butt" (thanks, hubby...I needed that visual...NOT).  It's been newly sided, the windows will be wrapped, and I will be doing landscaping in the front and back, as well.  A cute little house which will be market ready sometime in the next few weeks.

When I do get some free time, I've begun making soaps again, which is music to a few ears. I spent many years making handmade soaps and selling them at various festivals and bazaars. I never made a lot of money doing it, but it was fun and it was a good reason to get out and see people. A few loyal customers have missed these, as they really are much nicer to use than the detergent bars from the store.  Here's what I've made so far:

As you can see, I need to get busy and make a whole lot more to be ready for the upcoming events I have committed to.  I have three batches of vanilla scented oatmeal-honey, one batch of a spicy apple (nice!), one batch of a sandalwood/patchouli, and one batch of a lavender-chamomile.  I have essential and fragrance oils for many others, it's just finding the time.  I'll keep plugging away, however.  In the other stolen moments, I've been making these:

These are some of the mug rugs I've sewn together, making good use of fabric scraps. Most of them are machine quilted, but a few are done by hand.  They are colorful and good little gifts, tucked inside a special coffee or tea cup/mug.  I have two of them from Halloween fabric, and plan to make more of these, plus some in Christmas fabric:

There are free-range fruitcakes and noodles to be made, as well as many other projects swirling around in my head.  So many ideas and plans and projects and so little time.  If I ever win the lottery (hahaha...I don't even PLAY the lottery), I'm going to hire a gardener, a handyman, a cleaning lady, and possibly a cook. I'll assist the cook, since I don't mind doing that. I do sometimes wish I didn't have to stop what I'm doing to prepare the food. Oh, well. We all have the same 24 hours in our day. I just wish I had 28 hours instead.

Warm Autumn Blessings,  (don't get me started on this cold autumn weather we're having...urghhh)
Brenda