As we drove through town after town to get to our destination, the leaves kept calling out to me. I've been posting fall pictures for weeks now, and really, I don't think they get old. The leaves scream out with their yellows, oranges, and reds warning of the upcoming frigid months and snowfall. After being worn out from summer (as much as I love summer... the beach... sundresses on little girls... ) I'll take the warnings to slow down and enjoy this season. To get outside while we still can without freezing our buns off. To sip hot lattes and bask in the autumn sun. To watch as the kids run and jump in perfect fitting jeans and sweaters. It never gets old for me.
Yesterday, for the umpteenth time, we headed to our orchard. It's heaven. Gorgeous, full of character and colors, sandboxes and old trucks to play with. Animals galore, much to Paige's amusement as she's just learned a new vocabulary full of animal noises. We met up with friends who we need to see more often. It was one of those perfect days.
We've had a lot of them recently. Perfect days. We've been so lucky this fall. Hardly any plans except ones to be outside and enjoy each other and good friends. Communing with nature. I like to think we're nature people...
... except when we come across an old tractor that needs some tinkering...
But for the most part we're nature people. Especially the kids. They love every minute of it. Being outside, running free. They can never get enough sunshine, enough fresh air. They're at their best with it - who isn't?
Last fall we were hurried. I don't really know why. Maybe it was all the mommy group activities we were involved in, maybe it was trying to rush around for naps and nursing, maybe it's just where we live (don't get me started on living in Eastern Mass... I kept thinking while driving around yesterday "would you follow your wife this closely???" Ugh... ). I don't do well with being rushed. I get agitated, cranky, frustrated. So this fall, it's been especially nice to just be. With the kids, with good friends, with no agenda.
Chatting, or being quiet. Being at peace with so much. All is right with the world when the cautionary leaves of autumn start dancing around us. I can't help but stop, be thankful, and enjoy every minute of it. And of course keep posting the colorful photos...
(and for those of you (aka MOM!) who have tried with no luck to click on photos to enlarge them... . try it again! Lucas, who has the patience of a saint, gave me a lesson tonight on html and all that good stuff. So you should be able to click on the photo and a new tab will open with the enlarged photo... I hope anyway... )
(and one last thing... I don't normally dress the kids in black. Kids are supposed to wear colors and fun prints! But, I was taking some pumpkin pictures ~ wait 'til Halloween! They're so cute! ~ and wanted their festive skeleton/candy corn shirts on. Hence the black!)