Favorite Time of Year

Clockwise from upper left:  the little yellow house in the gold wash of late September light;  Heath Aster or perhaps a variety of fleabane; from darkness to light as I walked down the hill above our house; and my bucket of admittedly fake fall flowers, hanging from the old pump that has served as our mailbox mount for 43 years. 

I love late September and early October here on the farm.  John is combining corn and we have a good crop this year, so there is a positive excitement in the air as he bustles to and fro between the elevator and the field with brief stops at home to eat and sleep.  This afternoon our son has taken a half day from his regular job to drive the combine for his dad, and a good friend will be driving one of the semis. Farmer John will be overseeing the festivities, and probably will drive a second truck.

I took a walk this morning and I don't think words can adequately describe the almost spicy scent in the air.  It makes me think of a sweetly crisp apple combined with newly mown hay; the air was brisk and cool but the sun was hot on my skin.  If I could send you the scent in the air around me as I snapped the photo of the hay bales at right,  you'd see what I mean!

For a good portion of this year I've been depressed with grief from having to place my mom into nursing home care, and I've also suffered a variety of minor physical ills.  It's good to count my blessings during this harvest time and remember the ways the Lord has brought us through.

The cooler temperatures have spurred me to make a pot of chili for a family celebration this weekend; you can find the recipe by scrolling to the bottom of the post here. Happy Fall y'all!