Long but not Lost

My Friends!
Oh how behind I am and getting behinder every minute!

I have oodles of pictures for Grandmothers and some summer highlights
to journal just for us, but honestly.. where to start?

Let's begin with today.  Mr. Miles. 7 months.  Mmmm-MMM is he a
scrumptious baby or what?!!.  This little pose is his own invention and makes him
appear to have a bored-stiff air.  Of course we all know that's not true with
five zillion siblings entertaining him full time.

Maybe we need to step things up a notch and teach this guy how to read
or ride a bike or something. Haha!

The air has officially taken a turn for the crisp around here and with that change
comes a lot of golden leaves.  I am daily beside myself in wonder of it all.

Zack took me with him on one of his Grouse hunting circuits for good company,
and I brought my camera to keep me some quiet company.  The funny thing?
My mighty hunter was as full of friendly banter as a chattering squirrel!

"and this is where I saw two of them yesterday mom... right here in this bushy patch
...do you see this track here?... what kind of poop do you think this is... it was even
more fresh yesterday... and do you think this is elk or deer?.............."

So fun.

Clayton is a bona fide hunter this year as well, and sister Sue passed
Hunters Safety (wahoo!) and can tag along.
With all the hunts going on someone thought a tea party was needed
for the left-behind of us.

Olivia's Fall Tea~

This really was all her doing (don't you love the leaf garland on the glass door?)
though I took the opportunity to try a fancy new braid out on the girls and
even donned a skirt and earrings myself!  It was a great party!  Sorry the hunters
missed out :-)

When comes cool weather, comes more mud, comes more boots, comes more
sticks in the hair and runny noses, but also comes more soups, blankets, reading,
hot apple cider, popcorn, and baking.

So "come" dear Autumn because I love you.

Piles of firewood, last deliveries of gravel for the driveway, apple cores, popcorn eaters, 

pretty breakfast,  cherished butterfly pin gift, impulsively bought chrysanthemums...

Delish.

I was walking the forest near the cabin the other day in the drizzle.  I had a heavy jacket on, 

a roll of tree flagging tape, and was trying to decide which were "keep" trees and which were

"go" trees.  Having such great results with our logging experience two years ago, we imagine

a little more open space to let the sunlight in.

Would you know? Once under said canopy, it just so happens that every tree is a "keep" tree?

It was such a privilege to have this little chore to excuse me from my inside duties.  

There was wonder in every step - mosses and mushrooms, peeling bark and critter tracks.

Really seeing the individual trees and making decisions that effect the long-term outcome

of this property was an exercise in embracing change.

Good change is good.

Hard change is hard.

Generally I don't like to be on the choosing end of change - what if I don't like what I chose?

That's where the exercise comes in for me.  I will be proactive in making difficult decisions

and I will be content with the outcome.  This life is not the final destination, this remodeled 

forest is not the last home I'll have.  It's ok if I don't love the change.   It's only temporary.

This season, this Autumn, this crisp weather sinking into low temperatures and frosty blades

of grass ~ it's good.  I'm sipping lots of coffee and embracing the change.