Autumn. Breathe.

What beauty, what charm. The cold sets in.

This season for me is :

a) Sudden - Suddenly upon us, cold and colourful. Shorter days and stuffier noses. Summer seems to fly now that I have a family of my own. I'm so grateful for the long lazy days we spent sitting around outside this summer.

b) Sweet and Sad - The dark creeping in, the cold wind making me pull my little ones closer. The end of our garden for now; the overripe tomatoes squished into the empty ground. There is something about this time, when I look ahead to the long cold season, that makes me sad. Not *boohoo* sad, just *sigh* sad.

c) Homey - I like to hibernate. I'm certainly busy and somewhat social in my own way but I also like to stay cozy and close to home, baking with LOTS of butter and cooking large healthy soups. I shift into a low-speed, granola, martha-stewart-esque frame of mind and being for a few weeks as I plan my winter. I'm very tempted to pickle and can.

Many trips to Quinn Farm give us an opportunity for outdoor play with a purpose. We bring home their fresh bread and muffins and spend time chatting with animals in the barn. I also like to visit the farm as I think about giving this season. The Quinns stock a ton of lovely gift ideas: baked goods of course, local honey, lovely jams made with farm-fresh ingredients, arts and crafts from select local crafters and a large selection of toys and games from award winning Melissa and Doug. In the spirit of buying locally and reducing the amount of "stuff" we give, the farm is a great place to stock up on affordable and thoughtful gifts for everyone.

Sunday mornings at Jean Talon Market also offer a ton of fun food options. I guess this season is largely about cooking and eating for me. What better way to soothe my ennui?

I love to take photos in the Fall. Here's a mish mash of our busy weekends.

Quinn Farm on a busy fall day

I made the yummiest curry with one of these babies!!

loves the pumpkin patch, even in the rain

perusing the gift section...

Marche Jean Talon

Eyeing the goodies at the market

A Study of 13

Being a girl...

This is Alexys. She is 13 years old, but looks much older on most days. I remember this time well. It is fantastically confusing coming into awareness as a young lady and realizing your power, or lack thereof, depending on your station. Thirteen was a reckless, angry time for me. To say I was cranky is a polite understatement. It's like saying the splinter under your nail is kind of annoying. My mother's recollection of this time is unfortunate, but not compared to my own memory. In my mind I am a sullen, emotional mess... on a good day. On a bad day I was downright rotten and made sure those around me knew it. This young lady is as sweet as pie. I'm sure she has her days but I've known her for a while and I can attest to her kind heart. I believe I was kind as well back then, in my youth. I had a great deal of empathy, I just had no idea what to do with my feelings. I just FELT SO MUCH all the time, and it was all so new. I felt my little girl-ness slipping away, and no matter how many times I returned to Anne of Green Gables or the Secret Garden (my talismans of childhood) I couldn't stop the teen years from coming. A tsunami of hormonal energy on my fragile ego. I was not ready to be whistled at or flirted with. I wanted to play but was strangely compelled to test the waters of adulthood.

I took Alexys's portrait because she still has such fresh newness in her. She is still sweet and just arriving... I love these photos of her, and I hope her adult self loves them as well someday.

Happy Birthday to ME!