gratitude: day 2

Today when I was out running errands, my breath was taken away by the amazing fall colors everywhere. I was reminded how much I forget to stop and take notice of the beauty that surrounds me every day, and how much more I need to express my gratitude for blessings.

Since it's Thanksgiving month, I'm going to take a photo and blog about something for which I'm grateful for every day.  I started "My Cup Runneth Over," a gratitude photo journal about a year and a half ago and kept up with it for a while. It helped me through a very difficult time during our adoption process, when the winds of change were blowing at hurricane speed. I needed to slow down and feel joy. I feel joy most as a result one of two things: service or gratitude. One day, I want to publish my gratitude journal so that I can read it when I'm feeling picked on. But for now, I'm going to start writing in it again. I'll publish my posts this month here as well.

So my post yesterday, November 1 was about Halloween. I was just grateful that Halloween was over with. Ha ha!

nov. 2: today, I'm grateful for 

autumn.

our maple tree

i love autumn. 

the smells: 

wet leaves

the furnace warming the chilly house in the mornings 

apple or pumpkin desserts baking in the oven 

hearty soups on the stove. 

i love the sound of leaves crunching under my feet

and the feel of my cozy sweaters that come out of hiding.

i love the taste of fresh, crispy apples

hearty meals

and the feeling that I get

when all of my family is around the table enjoying them.

i love that I actually want to cook again.

 it's usually in the fall that I try many new recipes.

even though I know that winter is approaching

and all the things that I love most about fall

will slowly lose their appeal,

i love enjoying them

relishing in the change of seasons

even if it's just for a while. 

from the song called "every season" by kenneth cope,

here's the verse about autumn:

And even when the trees have just

 surrendered

to the harvest time

forfeiting their leaves in late September

and sending us inside

still I notice you

when change begins

and I am braced for colder winds

I will offer thanks for what has been

and what's to come.
you are autumn.