I had the day off yesterday. Well…I was off by myself. A doctor’s appointment, a breast ultrasound, and a DEXA scan (bone density). All quick, one right after the other and timed perfectly so that when I was done, I had about three hours to do whatever I wanted. My first errand was to one of my favorite stores…Rural King. I purchased an apple peeler a few weeks ago to make working up all the apples easier. However, they don’t make them like they used to and it didn’t work at all right. As a matter of fact, it created MORE work. So, I returned it and got my money back.
Next stop was Michael’s. I needed to get some supplies for winter projects. I purchased several skeins of Sugar ‘n Cream cotton yarn to knit dishcloths. They make great little gifts. I also got some more clear plastic ornaments to knit covers for and some fluffy white yarn. I think I’ll make snowballs. My cousin shared one of her favorite recipes with me the other day and I want to try it. “Goat Cheese and Fig Cornbread” sounds wonderful and she says it’s amazing. I went to TJMaxx because they have all the great Christmas specialty foods out now. I picked up some imported fig jam and I can’t wait to try out that recipe. They also had some really nice herbs and spices so I picked up a variety of things to try. It’s hard to find Herbs de Provence in West Virginia so you have to get it when you see it!
As I was driving home, the light was so beautiful, it was hard to keep my eyes on the road. The light was muted and golden with casts of misty blue. The trees have shed much of their leaves only to expose the dense underbrush blazing. Patches of scarlet and crimson mixed with canary yellow. Swaths of russet met the deep green pines. Rich, deep dark chocolate browns rustled with gold and pink and deep burgundy. It’s as though the trees beckoned…begging me to turn and look just once more before the coming rains strip them bare. I felt as though I was driving through a Monet painting…soft, a little out of focus, muted brights. It was brilliant.
I thought of the days of wanderlust on my state park tour this time last year. I was about to wrap up a good solid six weeks of camping on Halloween. The trees were giving up the ghost and the chill rains of fall had descended. I was footloose and fancy free for the last half of September and all of October. I will never forget that time on the road and all the amazing places my home state has to offer. As I drove out the two-lane blacktop toward the Ponderosa, I was reminded how tremendously blessed I am to live in this beautiful place that feeds my soul.
My sweetheart was waiting for me at home. He offered to carry my bags in, but I was fine. I helped him search for the kitty to put her to bed. (She was already in her building asleep on the tractor seat.) I heated up leftovers and we watched the news. It is a sweet and simple life we live here. The days are easy this time of year. No mowing. No canning. Just everyday pursuits…catching up inside with the stuff left undone from being outside since March. Though there are still things to do out there. The pool has officially been put to bed. Some of the garden plants have been cleared. Today we go to town to pick up our new chairs…the first real furniture we have purchased together. When we get back, we have to clean out the gutters because the rain from the hurricanes will be here soon.
It really doesn’t end, does it.
❤️
“You control human events— you give rulers their power and take it away, and you are the source of wisdom and knowledge.”
Daniel 2:21 CEV