it has been the most beautiful weather weekend. the temperature was perfect and the fall leaves are at their peak. i think it was the last "transition" we will have before it gets truly chilly and turns to winter. i love fall but i have to confess to a feeling of melancholy about it this year. i don't think i was ready to put my garden to bed or say goodbye to long evenings out on the deck. there is so much futurity, so much growth, so much to look toward in springtime and summer. it is a busy time, full of activities, but somehow it never feels hectic to me, just ultra fun. i'm already getting that hemmed in winter time fear...the what will we do to stay sane and entertained riddle.
to combat this, i came up with a big list of little plans i have for the long, dark winter days ahead. the ideas, so far, are:
+take up cross stitch/embroidery and start a sewing basket for cleo with beginning hoop and tapestry needle and get this nifty little starter sewing deal for flynn.
+have craft play dates frequently with cleo and her little friends. i love to watch what kids can create with minor instruction.
+make big batches of stock and read up on good soup and stew recipes. i love hot soup and fresh bread as a winter time meal.
+perfect roasted chicken. this recipe for cooking the whole bird in coconut milk sounds like a good start!
+brew beer with jaren and seth.
+have weekly reading night with the kids where we read a big stack of books or a bunch of chapters and then listen to a book on audiblekids.com
+eat by candlelight
+enjoy our fireplace and start to teach cleo and flynn about the art of building a good fire (lucky she has two fire masters in her life...grandpa and dad.)
+prepare some special celebration for winter solistice, longest night of the year on december 21: a fire pit, staying up late, and mulled wine will have to be involved.
+organize my iphoto and make more photo books to thumb through and enjoy. warm myself by the light of the mac!
+go through and purge my backlog of magazines once and for all!
+go snowshoeing, maybe even by moonlight, something i've always wanted to try.
+ski at least 5 times. a pretty silly goal considering i live 15 minutes from world class slopes.
+convince someone that they need to take me to hawaii, or other warm locale during slushy grey yucky phase of winter. taking children, optional.
THOSE are my best laid plans. How will you brave the long, cold winter? Tips, tips, pass them my way please!
Posts
I love your ideas and would love to be right alongside you for most of them!
ReplyDelete