New Leaves

This is a tale of hibernation and stockings.

Today is the first time that I've had my bread machine out since the summer heat began to be too much to have things baking in the house. Autumn has clearly settled upon us. Cold in the shade, warm in the sun. Must take jacket with you even if it is too warm to be wearing it when you leave the house.

Today, I have to finish organizing the wedding pictures that I did about 2 weeks ago, and then I will be free of them. I know it sounds strange, but I really don't like holding on to them. I like having them done quickly, and out of my responsibility quickly. This doesn't always happen, but I don't know that it's ever taken me longer than a month to get them to their proper owners, and usually it takes less than 2 weeks.

This last wedding was a huge learning experience for me. While there are some things that I wish I could do better... I am still pleased with what I have done. I know that once I actually get some schooling and get to learn a little more about my camera, that I will be all the better.

Tomorrow, I am going to an event with Mike, we'll be sitting at a vending table. Unfortunately, I do not have much to contribute to this vending. This is truly unfortunate because the items I was going to make would have flown out the door and I could have had an easy extra lump of cash at a time it would have been most appreciated. Ah, well, another learning experience.

I have started my fall cleaning. That usually means shuffling a mess into a neater looking mess, dusting everything, scrubbing the floors on hands and knees, and the grand finale : bathing, drying, and brushing the cats, with the slight bribery of catnip and canned cat food to help them cope. Then, the windows go from full open, to mostly closed, and the fan moves from the window to the floor. Lots of incense, lots of sage burning, and the first possible chance afterwards, I get myself a manicure, pedicure, massage, and I take off for a day to an undisclosed location with my choice of crocheting, reading, whatever sounds good to me that morning I wake up.

By the time all this is done, Thanksgiving is usually very close, and then I prepare for hibernation.

I hate being out during the holiday shopping season. Groups of people who are all trying to get this year's coveted toy and pretend to be nice to people they don't talk to all year long, it bothers me. Maybe some of you don't believe in empathy... or being an empath, but I swear, I can *feel* the 'holiday spirit' as it lingers around for a month and a half in some sort of crazed mix of human emotions, and then turns into depression in january to mid february as people who have seasonal depression disorder, and the stack of bills from the holidays they've burried themselves under... just walking around. I can barely wait for spring.

I've had SDD, and I've found that the only way that I combat it well is to celebrate each season for what it is in my life, what it does for nature, regular exercise, getting some sunlight every day, even if it is only for a few minutes, having friends and family over for dinner (on days other than the holidays... imagine that) and staying as far away from those who don't realize that they have it.

Hibernation is coming. And it is a good and wonderful thing. I am looking forward to the copious loaves of frozen bread dough I will make, the frozen cookie dough, the 'so many beans' soup, stews, pomanders, pine combs with peanutbutter and bird seed to hang from the trees with strands of yarn. Hot tea after breathing cold air, And something I'm ecstatic about : stockings. Not the stockings that you get from Scotland, that are the best in the world... but stockings that you stuff for wee ones. I've been hiding a secret. Of all the holiday mess of presents... I always loved the stockings the best. This year, I hope to create that for 3 very important people in my life. M (15 in November) B (8 in January), and my staffmaker.... He'll have 2 stockings.... one he can open in front of the kids... and one he cant.... >:)