Fall is almost here....

Fall is 2 weeks away. It's my favorite season. It's a nice cool-down after a long hot summer, although THIS summer has been alot milder than summers past.

I love everything about Fall. The cooler evening temps means that it'll be later in the day before I have to turn the A/C on, if at all. It's also better sleeping weather, just cool enough to pull up the sheet, but not so cold that you need your snowman jammies to keep from freezing.

The leaves on my trees are changing from green to yellow. That's the only thing about Fall that I'm disappointed in-my beautiful shade trees going naked. Although it can be a good thing in the winter, because my Texas Umbrella trees look like giant twigs poked into the ground, but on a chilly winter day, the missing leaves allow the warmth of the sun to penetrate my living room windows, and that it heavenly.

Fall also means another family trip to Bates Nut Farm/Pumpkin Patch. Oh, we have such a wonderful time up there! Going on the hayride, watching the kids pick out their pumpkins, playing games, riding rides... and the store...oh man, that is the highlight of my trip! And, of course, the traditional King Family picture just before we leave. Afterwards, it's over to someone's house to carve the pumpkins, and just enjoy family time for the rest of the day. I love family outings like that...

I love the Fall colors too-the reds, oranges, yellows, all the colors that make life bright on a sometimes dreary day. Fall is also the smells of baking goodies...cookies, pumpkin muffins, hot apple cider, pies...oh yumm! My hope is to bake alot more this year, now that I'm down to just the one job. I love baking in Fall-it helps heat the house up...LOL...and thus becomes energy-efficient! A two-fer!

One of these years Jim says he wants to take me back east, to his early childhood hometown, to experience Fall in a way we west coast natives never imagined. I can't wait. I'd love to visit New England and see for myself how beautiful it is in the Fall...maybe someday...

I want to enjoy Fall for a couple of months before I get into the Christmas crunch/rush....you know....'the calm before the storm'.....have a Happy Fall!

Blessings~