Oh what a beautiful first day of autumn it is here today! The air feels crisp. Sweaters and socks are out and at the ready. And I dare say, I think we're beginning to find our fall rhythm. Beginning anyway. This particular seasonal transition has been a bit of a doozy! School for Calvin, new classes and activities for everyone else, and back-to-work (for a little while) for Papa. But oh, everyone is happy and thriving in their places, so long as Mama can keep up....and keep everyone fed! My goodness, that is quite a task - oh, what these kids can eat!
How about a list on this, the first day of the new season? I'm particularly finding list making so helpful to me at the moment, and an entirely fun one is in order today, I'd say. Shall we?
1. In the vein of "you're never too old to learn something new" meet my new friend, the latest to join our instrument family. My banjo! I've been talking about wanting to play for a very long time now, but the crew took this birthday of mine as a chance to make it happen. Truth be told, it's been a slow start (ouch! my fingers!), but I'm determined to join 'the (family) band' and this coming season will have plenty of time for learning.
2. Somewhat related, and speaking of my clawhammer banjo idol and her husband.... the new Dave Rawlings Machine (and Gillian Welch) album, Nashville Obsolete came out last week and I am loving it as much as anything they've done together. And they're coming back to Portland next month too! Hooray for musical dates to look forward to.
3. The younger kids and I are having so much fun learning about the mushrooms in our backyard right now. I'm learning right alongside them, knowing little about them to begin with (in fact, Harper and Adelaide know quite a bit more than I do about them from their wilderness classes). It's so exciting to find a whole new world like this...right outside our door. And oh, thank goodness for those amazing National Audubon Society books as a reference. Honestly, each one of those that we have - which is quite a lot by now - is so often referred to and used, I can't imagine having little ones without them. Hmn...a gift of those might just be the perfect family gift, don't you think?
4. You know that Phoebe Wahl's first children's book is out now, right? Sonya's Chickens is such a sweet story, and so loved here by my littles! (Mama loves it too!)
5. I'm so excited about these new ceramic mugs, made by my friend Jess Teesdale, that are now in the Taproot shop! Aren't they dear?
6. I am nearly done with the shawl I've been knitting and ready for what comes next. Have you seen the Comfort Hat collection that Quince recently released? I'm thinking we could all use a refresher of a new hat this season and wondering if I can crank some of those out this weekend in my Common Ground Fair time. Hmn....
7. Though I am NOT ready to fire up the woodstove, and would very much like it if we could get through October before we do so.....I have to say that walking by these piles each and every time I go to the garden, brings me such comfort. Comfort and gratitude for the man (and his six year old hatcheting helper) who spends literally all year long working on keeping us warm. He is never as far ahead as he'd like to be I know, but there is always enough.
8. My high schooler is requesting more sandwiches in his lunch bag, and I think I'm going to give this one a go. My go-to has always been the basic Tassajara bread recipe, but changing it up a bit would be nice, I think.
9. I've become a hoarder of corn. And I think the folks at the farm stand where I buy it are becoming concerned about me. Is a dozen a day too many? It just feels so fleeting, this season, I can't help but want to incorporate it into every meal and stick a few bags in the freezer here and there too. On the table this week are a few favorites - Summer Corn Chowder and Kale and Potato Soup with Corn and Chorizo (thanks, Alicia!). So good, the both of them.
10. I am very much hoping to fit a walk in the woods into my day today. Not too hot, not too buggy, not too muddy. It's kind of perfect right now, and I want to soak that up. And I wish you and yours a most lovely day on this equinox!
