It's getting cold and it's getting dark. With the departure of Daylight Savings, dusk now starts before 5 and, yesterday, I woke up in an extremely cold bedroom. I reluctantly took those steps that indicate looming winter - I turned on the gas fireplace insert for the first time and pulled out my hat, gloves and scarf for their winter storage on my grandmother's high chair that stands next to my front door.
As I look out my window I can see smoke rising from chimneys across the street. Our long Indian Summer is now officially a memory of the past. And of course this means gray skies and rain have come back as have all the hoodies on everyone walking by. The wonder is the leaf-turning. It is not as spectacular as the Connecticut Autumns of my past but it is pretty darn good. On our ride home from preschool each day Wesley and I note the difference in today's amount of leaves versus yesterday's. There is one stretch on McLoughlin Boulevard that we call the "Tunnel of Trees," where huge trees span the road to meet overhead. They are our gauge of the seasons. It seemed to take forever for the green sprouts to turn into full grown leaves last Spring and now they are slowly disappearing before our eyes.
Wesley loves to help me rake the leaves that fill my driveway and back yard. We use the old plastic rake that was here when I moved in last year. We add my full-size broom and his small one and then, at his insistence, we add the whisk broom - we might need it for small spaces, he says. When we create a pile of leaves Wesley decides if we scoop them into the garden waste bin or exuberantly toss them up in the air to come raining back down on us. Often it is the latter which means the job can take quite a while to complete. I could care less - time is something I have. The next step is stomping the leaves in the bin to create more space for tomorrow's session. I push the tall bin over to my back stairs. Wesley climbs to the top and then, from that perch, steps over the rim to stand on today's pile. Then he starts stomping. He is most proud of himself.
Cypress, my cat, is also adjusting to the colder weather. Her favorite place, right now, is on the mantle, above the fireplace. I have moved the clock a bit to give her more room. She snuggles against it.
She spends quite a bit of time here or as a lump in my bed. She slips in between the duvet and sheets. Wesley has learned to check any such lumps before bouncing.
Some other Autumn memories - Halloween was lots of fun, especially as this block is chock full of young kids. Wesley surprised us with his choice for a costume (which Stephanie and Dan created out of boxes, paint and a funnel - such clever ones!). Get ready . . . he wanted to be the Sugar Cane Train. Yes, the same train on which we had our interesting adventure in Maui. Here he is - my first visitor to trick or treat at my door.
Another wonderful October memory - I spent my last full day in California (the day after my 50th reunion with my 8th grade classmates) with my good friend, Sally. She arranged for me to meet a new acquaintance of hers, Rhonda Giangreco, who works with the MS community nation-wide. I always hold anyone with MS close to my heart from all my experiences as a spouse of someone with MS and my 6 years of volunteer work as Executive Director of the MS Quality of Life Project in Monterey. Rhonda had a most interesting response to her diagnosis of MS. Instead of collapsing into the debilitating fatigue which so often accompanies this disease she decided to take on the challenge of celebrating and holding family and friends close by cooking and hosting a dinner every Sunday for one full year. And she did it - she started in January and prepared 52 consecutive meals. Her book, The Gathering Table: Defying Multiple Sclerosis With A Year of Pasta, Wine and Friends, describes this remarkable year as she copes with the realities of MS.
Our plan was to meet in a restaurant in Sonoma but, instead, she invited us to have lunch at her house. Was she really up for it? Yes, she insisted. When we drove to her house we passed a small park with an outdoor table charmingly set with tablecloth, napkins, plates and glasses. I wondered who was going to spend a glorious afternoon at this table, never dreaming it would be me.
It turned out that the unexpected brilliant weather (it was 80 degrees) inspired lunch al fresco but Rhonda and Michael had already put their outdoor furniture in storage for the winter. But she is clever, that Rhonda. She decided to use a bit of the small park around the corner from her house as our lunch site. We happily helped carry over the food and wine.
What a spectacular meal. It had everything - new friends, wonderful food and a lovely ambience - sun sparkling down as we sat at a table that bordered a Sonoma vineyard (look in the background of the photo above). Let's start with the food that Rhonda prepared (hint of its quality - she took cooking classes in Italy):
Add wonderful herbed biscuits and salad
It was an amazing lunch accompanied by wonderful local wines. DELICIOUS!
I enjoyed meeting Rhonda and her husband, Michael. They are warm, welcoming and charming. And she is indeed a spectacular chef. I felt as if I had a taste of one of the meal experiences she described in her book. The great thing about wonderful memories is that, as I sit in gray Portland, I can close my eyes and be right back at that sunny table in Sonoma. Thank you, Sally, Rhonda and Michael for such a lovely visit. I hope we meet again. And if Rhonda insists on cooking, fine with me! I love being sous chef and will happily help.
So bring on winter. Cypress and I look forward to its unique charms - as long as my heater works.
As I look out my window I can see smoke rising from chimneys across the street. Our long Indian Summer is now officially a memory of the past. And of course this means gray skies and rain have come back as have all the hoodies on everyone walking by. The wonder is the leaf-turning. It is not as spectacular as the Connecticut Autumns of my past but it is pretty darn good. On our ride home from preschool each day Wesley and I note the difference in today's amount of leaves versus yesterday's. There is one stretch on McLoughlin Boulevard that we call the "Tunnel of Trees," where huge trees span the road to meet overhead. They are our gauge of the seasons. It seemed to take forever for the green sprouts to turn into full grown leaves last Spring and now they are slowly disappearing before our eyes.
Wesley loves to help me rake the leaves that fill my driveway and back yard. We use the old plastic rake that was here when I moved in last year. We add my full-size broom and his small one and then, at his insistence, we add the whisk broom - we might need it for small spaces, he says. When we create a pile of leaves Wesley decides if we scoop them into the garden waste bin or exuberantly toss them up in the air to come raining back down on us. Often it is the latter which means the job can take quite a while to complete. I could care less - time is something I have. The next step is stomping the leaves in the bin to create more space for tomorrow's session. I push the tall bin over to my back stairs. Wesley climbs to the top and then, from that perch, steps over the rim to stand on today's pile. Then he starts stomping. He is most proud of himself.
Yes, I know it's out of focus but it is me behind the phone camera - so I will suggest
it is an action photo!
Cypress, my cat, is also adjusting to the colder weather. Her favorite place, right now, is on the mantle, above the fireplace. I have moved the clock a bit to give her more room. She snuggles against it.
She spends quite a bit of time here or as a lump in my bed. She slips in between the duvet and sheets. Wesley has learned to check any such lumps before bouncing.
Some other Autumn memories - Halloween was lots of fun, especially as this block is chock full of young kids. Wesley surprised us with his choice for a costume (which Stephanie and Dan created out of boxes, paint and a funnel - such clever ones!). Get ready . . . he wanted to be the Sugar Cane Train. Yes, the same train on which we had our interesting adventure in Maui. Here he is - my first visitor to trick or treat at my door.
Another wonderful October memory - I spent my last full day in California (the day after my 50th reunion with my 8th grade classmates) with my good friend, Sally. She arranged for me to meet a new acquaintance of hers, Rhonda Giangreco, who works with the MS community nation-wide. I always hold anyone with MS close to my heart from all my experiences as a spouse of someone with MS and my 6 years of volunteer work as Executive Director of the MS Quality of Life Project in Monterey. Rhonda had a most interesting response to her diagnosis of MS. Instead of collapsing into the debilitating fatigue which so often accompanies this disease she decided to take on the challenge of celebrating and holding family and friends close by cooking and hosting a dinner every Sunday for one full year. And she did it - she started in January and prepared 52 consecutive meals. Her book, The Gathering Table: Defying Multiple Sclerosis With A Year of Pasta, Wine and Friends, describes this remarkable year as she copes with the realities of MS.
Our plan was to meet in a restaurant in Sonoma but, instead, she invited us to have lunch at her house. Was she really up for it? Yes, she insisted. When we drove to her house we passed a small park with an outdoor table charmingly set with tablecloth, napkins, plates and glasses. I wondered who was going to spend a glorious afternoon at this table, never dreaming it would be me.
It turned out that the unexpected brilliant weather (it was 80 degrees) inspired lunch al fresco but Rhonda and Michael had already put their outdoor furniture in storage for the winter. But she is clever, that Rhonda. She decided to use a bit of the small park around the corner from her house as our lunch site. We happily helped carry over the food and wine.
What a spectacular meal. It had everything - new friends, wonderful food and a lovely ambience - sun sparkling down as we sat at a table that bordered a Sonoma vineyard (look in the background of the photo above). Let's start with the food that Rhonda prepared (hint of its quality - she took cooking classes in Italy):
Perfectly grilled herbed pork loin with figs grilled on rosemary spears.
And a grand finale of apple pie.
It was an amazing lunch accompanied by wonderful local wines. DELICIOUS!
I enjoyed meeting Rhonda and her husband, Michael. They are warm, welcoming and charming. And she is indeed a spectacular chef. I felt as if I had a taste of one of the meal experiences she described in her book. The great thing about wonderful memories is that, as I sit in gray Portland, I can close my eyes and be right back at that sunny table in Sonoma. Thank you, Sally, Rhonda and Michael for such a lovely visit. I hope we meet again. And if Rhonda insists on cooking, fine with me! I love being sous chef and will happily help.
So bring on winter. Cypress and I look forward to its unique charms - as long as my heater works.
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