September 7, 2011

Touching the Moon


A gibbous moon hung in the perfectly clear blue sky of a perfect late summer day, a storybook kind of day with a light breeze and a touch of autumn in the air.

"Can you see the moon?" she asked her small son as he lay on the lush green grass staring at blue nothingness. She wished for fluffy white clouds so they could lie together and name their shapes.

"I see it. Is it too high for me to touch?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"Because I tried to touch it once," she said.

She answered that way because she didn't know what else to say. But it sounded, anyway, like something she would have done as a young dreamer. She remembers wanting to skip along the tops of clouds, so why not touch the moon?

"And you couldn't do it?" he asked.

"No."

"And you cried?"

"Yes.

He stared longer at the luminous orb rising farther out of his reach and said, "I wish you never tried to touch the moon."

September 5, 2011

Favorite Things About Fall

It would be a tough battle between contenders Fall and Spring if I were forced to choose my favorite. But I'm pretty sure Fall would win out simply because it's the beginning of a long span of cool weather. As delightful as Spring is there is always the hovering menace of hot weather, the persistant presence of sunshine and, of course, tick season.

Today was the first day I really and truly felt Fall was on its way. It's cooler outside the house than in and when I opened the door to let Lucy out she paused and wasn't sure what to do. Even though her food was outside waiting for her she sensed something was off in the air and she stood in the doorway a long time pondering such an uncertain egress.  This will be her first fall season and I'm not sure she was thrilled about it.

My favorite things about Fall:
  • State and county fair season!
  • Cool weather (obviously)
  • Fall means it's almost Halloween, my favorite holiday
  • Fall means it's almost Thanksgiving, my second favorite holiday
  • The trees get dressed up in their fancy colorful fineries (followed by the subsequent "getting naked" after the party's over). Those shameless hussies.
  • Walking in the woods is the best in fall and winter. No ticks, no snakes and you can see the undulation of the earth through the naked trees.
  • Smoke in the air from fireplaces and woodstoves.
  • Knitting is way more fun in cool weather and I can break out the homemade socks and scarves!
  • Mulled cider

It's funny, because Spring is supposed to be the rebirth, but somehow for me Fall is when things seem more joyous, more alive, more expansive.

What are your favorite things about Fall?

September 1, 2011

Lost Prince

My friend Betsy has a new book out and is having a contest!  I hope you'll drop by and comment on her blog for a chance to win a copy of Lost Prince: Salt Road Saga Book I.