October?

Hello, October...here so soon?...what happened to my good friend September? Oh dear September, where did you go?....you're one of my very favorite months and you up and left before I even knew you were here, leaving me bereft with a list full of good intentions.  Ah well, lucky for me that I like your neighbor October very well and our visit will last a full 31 days {30 days indeed!}.

Yes, unbelievably, October is on the doorstep {oh wait it's in the door} and instead of fretting about the spilt milk of a month that was September, I am ready to move forward with just the quickest of glances back.  It has been a busy couple of weeks here in our little corner.  September is always a month of transition, but has been even more so this year.  After depositing my girl at college—still adjusting to that one {can anyone tell me when I will stop putting a plate out for her, or telling restaurant hostesses that there are 5 in our party?  I almost bought an extra opera ticket yesterday, just because I'm in the habit of saying 2 adult and 3 student tickets—realized it just in the nick of time—phew!}. In addition to all of that we have returned to homeschooling {I homeschooled our older two when they were younger, but this is a new thing for the lad} .  Needless to say, our days have been full.
Full of long walks, scientific observation and nature journaling  outside...

 and chemistry and physics inside {aka baking}...

{We've been playing with Beth Hensperger's Bread Bible, yum~science never tasted so good!  Did you see the size of those challah loaves?...our first baking of challah~delish and fun to make!...more of that for us!}

There has been lots of this...

some of this {origami crane mobiles~fyi they make great care package fodder}...

and happily there has been lots of this for both the mama and the lad...

And now, here we are, it's official...Fall is upon us!  It's getting crisp out, leaves are turning and we are finally feeling the first nip of autumn.  We are settling in, and routines of a sort are forming.
October promises to be full of all sorts of good things and I am ready to welcome it with open arms.  It is, after all, one of my very favorite months, and to my thinking the official beginning of the knitting and baking year—not that the knitting and baking ever really stop around here, but for some reason it always feels like the beginning—the start of cozy, homey, contented times.  So bring on the sweaters, warm up the teapot and let the nesting commence!...Happy Fall!!!

~xoxo
alison