finally fall

Last week we took our fall break, although the weather felt more like midsummer.  It was muggy and in the mid-eighties, rainy and sunny in turns.  But mostly muggy.  One afternoon, the kids and I walked over to the picturesque elementary school in our neighborhood to use the playground.  The rocks provided endless outlets for their imaginative dramas, and the mud puddles changed everyone’s socks from white to greige.  While the littles worked hard at their play, I cast on for a leaf.  I’m collaborating with Z to make an autumnal leaf garland for our mantel.  I have about 8 of the planned 24 leaves completed, and every night Z adds a few to inches the i-cord on which we’ll attach them.  I’m a little late to the knitted-leaf-garland party, but I’ve thought about one for the past few years. Our mantel will look festive for the next couple of months until we get our Christmas things out.

We started our fall garland at the perfect time!  The weather has finally decided to be fall-ish, the leaves are turning colors, and I’ve pulled out all of our down duvets.  I have some hot tea waiting for me as soon as I hit "publish," and tonight Z and I have plans to watch "The Count of Monte Cristo"* while I fold some laundry before I pick up the boys from Greek School.  I’ll definitely need a coat when I leave.

* The Richard Chamberlain version, of course!  It’s a favorite from my own childhood.