Favorite month

October is here!  I absolutely love this month, probably due in part because I have a birthday coming up and what kid doesn't wait all year for that to roll around again?  But the transition from one season to the next is so lovely and reminds me why I also love the midwest.

I love the changes that involve:

• Food -- I'm all excited about soups and stews and baking and experimenting
• Clothes  -- who doesn't like sweaters and jeans and scarves and warm socks?  
• Temperature -- I honestly don't mind heat, but I do enjoy the months where our furnace and/or air conditioner are mostly silent and the windows are open to draw in fresh air
• Scenery -- the trees are just starting to turn, especially the glorious red maple in our back yard, and it all happens around the time everything begins to look a little shopworn after a hot summer
• Anticipation -- when it starts to look like fall, I get excited about Thanksgiving, another annual favorite
• Nobel prizes are awarded this month (I'm not in the running again though)

Work settles down for me in October and my life returns to something a bit more manageable.  That gives me some time on weekends to clean or bake or even go to a movie like we did last weekend.  I've already scheduled TWO vacation days this month, and I'm looking foward to figuring out what I want to do.  If R hasn't found work by the time he closes up, we may take a short trip next month just to get away and to make up for all of the little trips we haven't been able to take over these many years.  I know it will worry him if he hasn't found work, but maybe some down time will do him some good.

I've got some cinnamon tea waiting on me (don't you just love October?) so I think I'll grab a biscotti and savor the moment!