Those October Days

I started this post a few weeks ago, in the early days of November, as a part of my blogging goal to record the happenings of the previous month - even if only vaguely. I need to have goals for everything, it seems! I"m struck by the need to take hold of the legacy passed on to me, to shape the legacy with my own stories, and slowly, piece by piece, pass it on to my children. There is something about writing my stories here that makes me feel as if I am slowly accomplishing that. Now, if only I can actually write these things in a more timely matter! And as you can see from this post and the last, intentionality has been on my heart lately......if not my whole life.

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I'm always struck by how time flies and how it it all seems so fleeting without intentionality. Without intentionally planning, intentionally enjoying, intentionally thanking, intentionally celebrating, working, playing, loving...intentionally remembering, our days slip through our fingers and are forgotten.

A friend of mine intentionally sets aside one evening a week, carves out a few hours, for just her family. With life and laundry and kids and school and a husband's insane work schedule, memories would simply pass them by without stopping to wait. A few intentional hours can make the difference and prevent the days from just blending one into the next. To check out a snippet of her life, click HERE.

And here at this household, the hinges on the door of October 2010 have closed completely, never to be re-opened. But I peer through a window to look back and remember........

...the first hike of the fall at the Glacial Lake State Park with Grandma "Cinny" and Uncle "Icass." We hiked around the lake and enjoyed a snack of honeycrisp apples and crackers.

...the first taste of watermelon from our garden.....in October! Fall food takes on a new meaning.

...another autumn hike with Nanna at Carlos State Park

...standing on the kitchen floor chopping, steaming, cooking while smiling at the sight of Ing and Ping playing barefoot in the fence



...and giving hugs.

...the husband, who - thanks to the Marine Corps - despises hiking, suggesting a fall hike at Barsness Park one beautiful Sunday afternoon. And even when Ava asked to ride on his shoulders and gleefully yelled, "Run Daddy!" only smiles were to be seen on his face.

...the one last trip to the beach, the warm air and the chilly water mingling into fall delight.

...raking leaves one productive fall day, using the leaves to cage and mulch my blueberry plants

And harvest continued around us. The dust hung heavy in our yard and everything felt gritty but without a complaint from us as the farmers seemed so happy to be doing what they love in such perfect weather.

We mowed for the last time and bode farwell to our dear garden for the winter. The husband and I had a date during naptime one afternoon to scrape all the dried grass of the 72 inch mower deck before exchanging the mower for the snow blower - in one afternoon the tractor went from mower of grass to blower of snow.

And harvest soon ended and machinery was tucked away. With freezer and canning shelves and bins in neighbors' yards full to the brim, our hearts filled with thankfulness as the hinges closed on October and we welcomed November.