October

A few touches of autumn "bling" grace our home:
- a small wooden tole-painted bowl filled with bittersweet brightens a window sill.
-a handmade flannel banner over the kitchen window declares "Give Thanks".
-a few pumpkins huddle on a yellow chair near the front door.
-a fall garland decks the mantel, interspersed with tea lights.

October has come to us, and after greeting her reluctantly, we embraced her and invited her in.
There are things to like about her, really there are.

Meals are becoming heartier. They demand to be eaten slowly while blessings are numbered.
Tonight we dined on chicken lentil soup, or some such thing. It doesn't have a name or recipe and features ingredients that I found in the cupboards.

The truth is, we will never eat this particular soup again, as I will never remember how I made it. Whole wheat bread accompanied it. Into this bread went whole oats, chopped walnuts, and maple syrup -all for good measure.

The other night, we had an apple-pie-making get-together. We sliced and peeled and dusted and rolled and pinched and carried pies up the road where a warm over met them. We don't have an oven here quite yet. But why let little details stop us? Fall demands pie, and pie it shall have.

Dear faces find their way to our table. Micah, Jess, Lore, her friend Bean, Luke the bridge-worker, Christina, Lexi, whoever. We find a way to feed them all and have plenty leftover besides.
We are thankful for food to share.
Thankful for a new house to call home.
Thankful for a warm touch, a joke, a smile, a look.
Thankful for ten thousand things more; things that crowd my head as I drift off to sleep at night.

October, you can stay for awhile.