Happy October! I know in cooler climates, there is talk of fall starting in September with its apples, and its sweatshirts, and its chill. But, in the desert, October is what we wait for. It's what we say to each other sympathetically to remind ourselves to be strong. It's what we hold out hope for in August and September. We survive the ridiculous summer to get to...October. October means we can open windows at the bookends of the day. The temperatures are down and our spirits up, because we can go for morning and evening walks, and are not panting and dehydrated just from unloading groceries.
The other night, Mr. Ladd lit tealights in mason jars and a big candle that smells like leaves to entice me outside, promising it was nice out. We sat on the patio, finally breathing in some crisp air, and breathing out big sighs of relief. We chatted and sampled multiple pumpkin beers, trying to decide what our favorite was. I grabbed a light blanket, and Buddy burrowed underneath it, but I stubbornly kept my bare feet out, because they were cold, and I liked it.
Fall in Arizona is definitely not what it is back in Wisconsin, but we can drive to the mountains for a more traditional definition of autumn, or create it ourselves in the valley. So fallification is in full swing around these parts. I am making homemade pumpkin spice flavoring for hot coffee, huffing pumpkin and apple scented everything, and donning everything that sits still long enough with a leaf or a gourd. So in the apple cinnamon-scented spirit of celebrating the return of double digit temps, here are my goals for this season:
Fall Bucket List
Discover my favorite pumpkin beer (So far it's Shipyard Pumpkinhead)
Go through my teaching supplies (now that the garage is cooler)
Make pumpkin bread
Plant some potted plants for the fall/winter growing season (yup, we have one of those)
Host our annual Halloween party
Carve pumpkins
Watch a scary movie (only one, I'm a chicken)
Go camping
Go on a Leaf Hunt
Make this soup, and this chili
Celebrate Falliday
Make some sort of fall craft. I'm thinking about these cute little guys
Finish a blog facelift, and introduce some new fun projects
Submit an article to an online magazine
Start and finish Christmas shopping before December
Finish my manuscript for that book I'm writing (holy crap)
Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to go devour a piece of apple pie I made last night from locally grown apples. Fall can be found in Arizona!
