A Salute to Fall

Dear October:

Why yes, you certainly may cut in on my long, slow dance with Summer. I had grown tired of its company about three songs ago and your face, the promise of your delightful presence, are most welcome indeed.

Sincerely.
xoxoxo

So, here in Texas, we celebrate when the mercury falls consistently below ninety. I know fall technically means apple-picking, clear, crisp days, light sweaters, and crunching through haphazard piles of golden leaves, but some of us just have to make do.

Some of us just decide to out-and-out REBEL against the fact that we're still being devoured by mosquitoes and wearing T-shirts, and we decorate for fall anyway.

Here's my To-Do list for October, my most favoritest month of the year:


1. Take the children to pick out pumpkins, probably at our usual picking spot.

2. Learn to make a great deep-dish apple pie.

3. Pull out our favorite fall-themed picture books, like The Biggest Leaf Pile and Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf and How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World.

4. Hang up our leaf garlands and other fall decor.

5. Go camping, before the nights get cold.

6. Finally, finally, finally, re-paint our kitchen. Harvest gold-themed wallpaper, we bid you adieu.

7. Bob for apples.

8. Have the neighbors over for dinner (or maybe dessert -- see #2)).

9. Throw a Book Character costume party for my kids and their friends, since we don't do the Halloweeny thang.

10. Get outside in the sunshine as much as possible and enjoy being alive.