The weather has been quite nice, but I can feel winter coming. I want a jacket when I do animal chores, and often in the morning, the water hose is frozen. I play a little game each year, trying not to turn on the furnace for heat until November 1st. I do light the woodstove, and that is usually enough, but there are always a few days that my fingers itch to turn the thermostat up and warm the chilly bones of this old house.
Similarly, I balk at putting a quilt on the bed. We have a light bedspread that we use all year, and in the cold months, I add a warm quilt. Last night when we went to bed Chris complained about the cold. We had the window open a bit and I had to admit the air was chilly. I also knew that once he was in the bed for a few minutes things would warm right up. He's a toasty guy. I climbed in and he was rubbing his legs together like a giant cricket, trying to generate heat. He glommed onto me, muttering about how miserable he was. After a few minutes of listening to his pathetic complaints, I said "There's a quilt folded on the chair." I figured he wouldn't really want to get out of bed, but to my surprise, he hopped up gleefully. He nearly sprinted across the room and came back holding the quilt aloft like a prize. He carefully tucked it under my chin and spread it neatly across the thin bedspread. He got back into bed making happy sounds and was asleep in two minutes. Flirt was also pleased and burrowed under the blankets, tucking her spine into the curve of my waist. She stayed there all night, toasty warm.
Despite a few hard frosts, a bunch of happy little Pansy plants have volunteered in one of our flower beds. They look like spring, even though the air feels firmly fallish.
One of my customers walked her dog up the street before bringing him in for a grooming, and she took this lovely picture of the back of the house. The fall foliage will be gone soon, but there are still splashes of color to enjoy.
The light was just right when she caught this picture. I love our home in every season, but most of all in the fall, I think. It is so cozy and welcoming as the weather turns chilly.
Cooking this time of year takes on a special delight for me. In the summer I am all about enjoying meat on the grill, with grilled vegetables or a crisp salad. But in the fall I want hearty soups and stews, or a bubbling casserole. Today I am cooking up a big pot of 15 bean soup. I'll serve it with hot cornbread. It's been simmering away with a succulent ham bone for a while now and smells divine.
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