Fall

I love Fall. It's my favorite season. And I know I'm kinda rushing it from a weather and calendar standpoint. But the students have returned to school, the NFL has started pre-season play, and I can open the windows at night again without melting into a puddle. So I'm going to go with it.

Fall means FOOTBALL. I'm very fond of college football in particular. HOKIE football. But I'll watch almost any college game. I reinstalled my satellite tv this week to watch it. (Not very frugal I admit, but since I no longer smoke I had to keep at least *one* vice...)

Fall also means COMFORT FOOD. I put half a pork loin in the crock pot this morning with a bottle of barbecue sauce. We're going to watch a middle school football game this evening and I didn't want to fall victim to the late-night dinner drive-thru syndrome. Supper will be waiting when we get home and it should be cool enough to eat. If not, we'll have dinner 'al fresco', (which is Italian for "cooler outside than in the house")

Fall means HARVEST. I'm picking and canning and drying and freezing (and eating!) wonderfully fresh vegetables and fruits. I have grown to really appreciate the beauty of a jar of jelly or beans. Not only for the sustenance that it represents but as an almost artistic testament of the miracle of nature combined with effort. Besides, it tastes soooo good in the middle of winter!

Fall means REST (sort of). The pace at my workplace slows down a lot in Fall. True I'm canning and Thom is hunting and we're still quite busy. But it's a quieter, less frenetic busy time. And the feeling of accomplishment at days end seems richer somehow.

As the leaves begin to fall and the days get shorter, I hope you'll find reasons to love this time of year too.