Sunday Snippet: The Autumn at the Lake Edition

Autumn is my favorite time of the year, even though I’m often restless and sad in the fall. It’s an ending in so many ways, and yet there is that feeling of joyful beginning that comes with Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season, even when the world is suddenly a scarier and more uncertain place.

Fall is sweatshirts and jeans and corduroy jackets and yoga pants and maybe even scarves now and then, but not yet heavy winter coats and gloves and hats. It’s walks in the neighborhood that leave you feeling smugly exercised, but not particularly sweaty. It’s trips to the orchard for apples and cider and my once-a-year caramel apple treat. It’s homemade veggie soup, chili, and warm bread. Apple pie and Husband’s delish pumpkin pie and coffee in the afternoon instead of iced tea.

Autumn at the lake is always gorgeous and full of color–all shades of red, orange and yellow. We love taking boat rides to see how the trees are changing around the lake. The colorful trees reflected in the water is always particularly beautiful.

The weather has been incredible this whole week, sunny and in the low 80s–not a second summer because we haven’t had a frost yet.  Rather it was a warm and lovely first week of October, trying to hang onto the last vestiges of summer. My pal Minnie came up for a couple of days to enjoy it with us. We spent most of our time out on the boat–cruising around looking at the changing trees and enjoyed the blue, blue sky and sunshine. We’re not at peak color yet, not even close, but take a look;  things are coming along nicely, don’t you think?

Min and Mo and Husband (our captain) and I wandered the lake for a couple of hours each day, just being very relaxed. The water sparkled in the sun and looked so inviting, I couldn’t resist putting my feet in when we anchored for lunch. I should have resisted–it was cold! Hard to believe that just a few weeks ago, we were swimming! But in another week or so, we’ll have to take the boat out and put it up in the boat barn for winter storage, and then  around the first of November, we’ll be closing up the cottage until next spring. It’s sad to think about it, but on the other hand, the lake is always here for us next year, and winter will bring city life to the fore–Thanksgiving at Sis’s house, Yuletide at the symphony, holiday fun  with the kids and friends, and snow, which I love almost as much as the lake.

Gratitude this week: Time with Minnie is always a treat; Got one editing gig off my table; Forever Cowboy is getting great reviews! The weather has been perfect for lake life; and I saw a cormorant–my first one! (Here it is sitting on a float by the dam, and yes, that is indeed bird poop… the gulls perch on these buoys every fall before they head south, each one staking a claim in their own special way. It’s kinda funny.)

Stay well, speak out when you can–it’s the only way to save our democracy (Remember October 18 is No Kings Day), always choose kindness, and most of all, mes amis, stay grateful!

PS: Minnie brought bubbles with long wands to the lake with her. We bubbled on the boat and giggled like kids. She left them for Grandboy with the comment, “He’ll probably think he’s too old for these, but maybe he’ll have fun.” I replied, “Oh no, he will say oooh, bubbles! and immediately play with them! I was right! Nobody’s too cool for bubbles–not even a 13-year-old boy.