Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Octobercited

Octobercited: adjective
1. profound giddiness over seasonal prospects, associated with the month of October
2. strong emotional response to appropriate stimuli; including, but not exclusively: leaves, owls, sunflowers, shorter days, cooler nights, pumpkins, bats, crows, pie, Dutch ovens, whole grains, flights of fancy, festivals, cider, apple orchards, caramel apples, and anticipating November and December.
3. increased activity associated with the month of October and Autumn in general


I think my calendar year commences in October. It feels like the beginning, even though, arguably, it is the waning and slowing down time of year. Time to bring in the harvest and put the fields and gardens to bed. Time to return to home and hearth and prepare for the celebrations and holidays of home. Home may have a lot to do with why I feel like this is the first of the year. We begin at home, literally and symbolically. I have all kinds of deep thoughts and stirrings in my soul, and I find it quite inexpressible... it's as though we are on the brink of all kinds of goodness and fun.


It's hot today. It was hot yesterday. Do you know why? I suspect it is because I bought some wood to burn in our fireplace! October is rarely ever as cold in So Cal as I wish it could be. We won't have a first frost, or rainy days, not likely. If I sleep with all the windows open, I can justify adding one more sheet to the bed, but it's much too soon for our quilt. I have noticed a change in the light. It seems to come in softer; bright, but not glaring. The sun travels ever so slightly southward in the sky, a pleasant difference.


I filled a jar with caramels, dusted the piano, perched our crow, and this weekend we are meeting cousins at a pumpkin patch. Someday this month we'll make caramel apples, and we will definitely roast pumpkin seeds. Max hopes we'll have a Halloween party... pumpkin carving with friends and eating pie is what he envisions. Alex wants an "Ironman" party, which entails movie watching and eating either pizza or turkey burgers and cheering madly for his favorite superhero. There's lots of talk about costumes and treats, baking, and playing, about Tutu coming home in 18 days.


Octobercited is not limited to Halloween and the end of Daylight Savings... which will be November 2nd this year. Octobercited marks the commencement of me having even more wistful thoughts about Thanksgiving, Maria's 4th derpday, Christmas, cranberry sauce, children home for Winter break, stockings hung by the chimney with care, music and candlelight. I'm getting ahead of myself. I know. I'm just so excited. This is just such a homey, creative, spiritual time of year.


Speaking of Maria's birthday, my Mom sent a princess package for her granddaughter. Oh. my. goodness. Maria gasped, then the word "Yes," streamed from her lips like honey with cream... so sweet.
Dear Mom, you are amazing, talented and generous. We cannot thank you enough for the beautiful jewels you made for us.


A princess needs color colors, and so when Maria is not feeling golden and pearly, she can don her lilac gems and sparkle in a new hue.


This is the pretty set Maria is wearing today. I don't know which one she will choose to wear on her actual birthday, which is still a ways off, but I know she will feel like a real life princess.


It is the first day of October. I think we will make a special calendar and mark the days with our plans and wishes. I think we will anticipate good things and look for any reason at all to celebrate and feel giddy. I think we will promise Geoff that we won't let a single pumpkin go wasted, so that next Easter we aren't scooping pumpkin guts from the porch... hey, if this is my New Year, then I have a clean slate and I can hope to do better, right?


Speaking of doing better, I've been doing some housework. Don't laugh, or look puzzled... we've been in a slump. It happens. So, in a cleaner house, nice things are uncovered and discovered, things like Alex's sketch. I call it the Teapot House. I love this drawing, the concept. Are those 'copter blades? Does this house fly? Oh, how dear! I would love to hang curtains in the windows and toast tamales in the fireplace, and then I could fly over to your house and we could talk about October plans and princess parties.

5 comments:

Anna Banana said...

Happy October, dear friend!

Mama Spark said...

Ohhh, i'm Octobercited too!! I just love getting ready for Halloween and then the rush to Christmas that follows! Some year I may actually be ready for it all instead of surprised by it. Too bad you are not closer to us as our Halloween Parties are a lot of fun. We are trying to decide whether to have one this year as there is only one kidley home and he doesn't care. hmmm could be HP08!

judy in ky said...

What a joyous post... I love profound giddiness!

Tiglizzyclone said...

Those are really beautiful flowers. Such nice colors! I also like the artwork by Alex.

April Horsman said...

What a gorgeous family! This is my first time on your blog. I love it. The flowers are so pretty, and I feel the excitement of October too. For my husband its the month of his favorite "holiday"... Halloween.

Your daughter is beautiful, especially with the jewelry from your mom. So special :)

I'm also loving the guitar on the piano. Its inspiring me to find a way to better display one of the guitars in our home!

Thanks for the great read and smiles :)
April