FALL FROM SUMMER

Fall is here, and I love it!  I am an admitted geek when I start hearing the leaves crackle under my shoes (as much as I can hear them for that matter), smell the autumn candle scents that I have to immediately light up, see the fall decorations go up around the house and in the neighborhoods, and most importantly, taste the taco soup simmering on the stove! 

So let’s put the brakes on my excitement here for a second.  I did hear the leaves under my shoes today on my morning walk.  I took Zorro on a walk today with me.  Zorro is a rescued Australian cattle dog with a few issues (a bit blind and a bit crazy).  His owner/momma is one of the owner’s of the lake house with me and Ray.  We had a great walk once he got over the fact that momma wasn’t walking with us.  Back to the leaves though.  I love when they get crisp and crunchy and the acorns drop.  I don’t love raking them.  I love the exercise and being outside, but it is a chore.  A chore I am trying to make light of and enjoy with the other owners of our Lake Anna “villa”.  I didn’t enjoy sitting by the water on Friday reading the newspaper getting pelted with acorns and other droppings from the trees overhead—I will learn to sit under an umbrella next time, and at least it wasn’t dropping from a bird.

Mr. Z

I do love the smell of candles.  When it isn’t hot and humid, I like to burn them.  Now I am burning a candle warmer.  A candle warmer is a small ceramic dish you put blocks of wax in, and they melt by the heat of a light bulb.  I still had fresh berry garland in it from the winter—immediately removed that wax and dropped three cubes of cranberry pomegranate cider into it.  Autumn is here!  The windows are popped up, and there is a slight chill in the air!

Super close to what mine looks like.  Sort of.

I took many fall decorations to Carly’s apartment yesterday.  We visited her for a few hours, filled her up with a delicious dinner at a restaurant we hadn’t been to and stopped at Sweet Frog for some frozen yogurt.  So decorating my house today was a bit  problematic.  Since the holiday season last year, we have a new tv/entertainment center, and I didn’t know where to put what (I have a pattern that is now skewed a bit).  Oh well, the pumpkins are out, wreath is on the door, and life is good!

Not my door.  I wish.

Finally, the taco soup is simmering on the stove.  A double batch.  But then Ray suggested making it ahead of time for the week, and today we would grill steaks.  It is a lovely day to grill, so the taco soup will wait for the busy week ahead.  And I have been sneaking some tastes here and there J

Not a picture of my taco soup (I forgot to take one!), but close enough!

Such a great start to fall.  The only concerning thing here at the back of my mind (Ray brought it up, but I was already thinking about it) is that Panama doesn’t have fall.  The leaves don’t change colors although it does get chilly in the highlands. I don’t think there are oak and maple trees there.  I won’t want to burn candles most of the year, will I?  Where we want to live (not right by the beach, but at this point who knows), I may be able to, and not heat up the house.  I will give my decorations to Carly, my sister/other family members or leave them for the lake house, but I still hope to buy new decorations to set up for the fall holidays. And finally, steaming, hot taco soup might not be on the stove that often (I will make it when I visit my family), but I am sure I can find other warm and cozy foods to satisfy me in the fall months!

Lake Anna in the fall.