Autumn Glory

Pleae view this assembled collection of photos that will show you one of the loveliest Octobers I can remember.  The weeks pictured here were a blur to live, full of singing and horse barns and kayaking and working and ski patrol and all the vicissitudes of life in between, rushing from one activity to the next, always a little on the late side. They also included plenty of driving time- and this month that was a very good thing, as those were my moments to breathe and enjoy the fleeting beauty of our fall foliage.

People often wonder why I am always taking photos. Its so I can remember my life. 

Weekly riding lessons with Mallory and Goose continue to be a highlight for Ivy and I.  I will never get tired of seeing the look on her face when she gets on that horse.  I'd say it's worth every minute of drive time-- but the drive time is a gift too.  A chance to talk and connect with Ivy and Violet, to just enjoy their company when they are both in the best of moods. 

I will also never get tired of kayaking!  I explored two new places in the past few weeks, with help from my work bestie Elissa.  Could there be a better use of an afternoon than floating through this view, enjoying a drink and talking (absolutely nonstop) with a wonderful friend?  

This month saw the end of Ivy's tennis season.  It is definitely not the sport of her heart but I am immeasureably proud of this kiddo for sticking it out all season long.  We enjoyed getting to know her teammates at the matches, and getting to chat with their parents too. It sure makes our lives busier, but I am so glad our kids participate in school sports.  

More joy- my dahlias!   As I type on November 2nd, I've still got 4 plants producing blooms like crazy- so I am counting this as a gardening success and I'm about to treat myself to a few more varieties to balance out my bouquets...

A break from the usual riding routine-- Friday night at the barn, getting Goose ready for a show. The girls had a blast washing him with his purple bleaching shampoo...

... and getting fajitas afterwards. 

The next day Ivy, Vio and I made it to Lake Farmpark to take in the decorations and the corn maze. And the impossibly beautiful day, and the way this little place is still absolute magic for my kids, just as it was when they were tiny... 

Then hustle quick to the next thing!  Always almost late!  We made it in time to watch Goose do his jumping rounds at his show.  Which were more Goose walking over or through the jumps because when you are this big jumping isn't really a thing for you...

It was the first horse show for all three of us and we had a blast being part of Goose's entourage.  He makes friends wherever he goes...

That Sunday I had a free afternoon on my hands.  So, I went sailing.  It turns out that one of the unexpected benefits of our ski patrol class is that not one but TWO of our classmates have sailboats- and love to have company when they go out.   First time in my life I've been out on a real sailboat and it was grand. 

This is Jeremy, the retired LifeFlight helicopter pilot from England who was our captain that day.  Also enjoyed getting to know Julie and Tyler a lot better.  It's been such fun to add these new friends to our lives, who we never would've crossed paths with but for this crazy class. 

Brief moments at home-- cooking an Asian feast with my girl, walking my doggo in our autumn-glow neighborhood...

Add to the list of "things I did in October that I don't usually do"-- a haunted house!  Not once but TWICE!  Who even am I??  Got talked into going with Chorus friends and was only convinced by the promise of margaritas beforehand.  Turns out-- it was kind of fun.  I mean, I screamed a lot. And also laughed so hard I gave myself a coughing fit.  But it was good, cheesy fun.  And good to have previewed a spot to take these girls,  who we weren't quite sure were ready for haunted houses.

They did fine.  Ivy was the screamer, Lillian was unfazed, and Naomi confronted the actors with intense glares and probing questions.  I love these three humans and how they are so very much themselves.   

Oh look!  More good weather!  Might just have to keep my kayak in my car for the day... just in case...

In the current iteration of our lives, weekday afternoons are not usually a time for outings.  But Chapin Forest was calling and our good weather continued into Monday and so we fit in one hour of perfection in one of my favorite spots.

The foliage was just past peak, but still an awe-inspiring amber expanse. 

It's been hard for my mom to get to church recently as she's still working on her walking after her fall.  So, we've been getting out for walks on the McGregor grounds.  We look for deer and admire foliage and sometimes bring the dog along.  I'm so grateful to have her living so close by.

Also grateful for my new chorus friends, who round out my busy days with drinks after rehearsal.  Sometimes a few nights in a row when we have Sunday sectionals.  They may be terrible influences on me, but I adore these people.  We laugh uproariously together, and they make me feel like I have a real home in the COC. 

  Is this lifestyle sustainable, with its days in the sunshine and nights at the bar, and all of the rest of life in between?  Probably not! :)  But this great weather won't last forever.  I'll sleep when its cold and rainy...

Apple Day!

Apple Day, you are our favorite.  

This fall has been a tough one for many of our friend-family traditions. Between travel and work and alllll of our various extra-curricular activities, a few of our favorites fell to wayside: the County Fair, River of Fire, pumpkin carving...

But Apple Day is sacrosanct.

And absolutely just what we needed. A reprieve from the madness of life, where all we had to do was pick apples, eat donuts, and just BE in the sunshine, together. 

The weather and the apple crop both cooperated this year, and with the addition of our bistro table and chairs (so civilized) this may have been the best iteration of our made-up holiday yet. 

I just treasure these people and the fact that we are able to remain close across distance and busy lives.  Year thirteen and counting for Apple Day, year 25 and counting for the friendship...

 

Early October

Where have I been all October, you ask?  Outside.  That's where.  It has been just the most lovely of autumns around here, with foliage to beat the band and an inordinate number of shiny-sky, warm days falling most conveniently on weekends.  Combine this gift from nature with my regularly overscheduled life and you'll have the reason that nothing at all has gotten done around my house this month... including catching up on the blog. Here we are at the end of October and so I am typing like a madwoman (and sorting through thousands of photos) in an attempt to catch up before I look up and find myself in the middle of the holiday season...

Betty and I have been out 4 times in October.  Blessed both by this weather and by the ability to eek out enough free time to get onto the water... such bliss. Here's the Rocky River from the Metroparks marina to the lake. 

         

Got out with the family a bit too. Our teens would of course prefer to stay in their natural habitat of "bed" but its always worth the struggle to get them out in nature.   Pictured here: a whole family trip to the driving range (it's fun to join Jack in his interests/obsessions.  He was the sweetest coach to all of us) and to Viaduct Park, one of our favorite hidden gems in the area. 

We thought we knew this park quite well but then we found this giant tunnel.  That you can walk through!  It was so amazing.

Dinner al fresco at Van Aken District, which is one of my very favorite things these days.  I am sucker for carefully crafted fake cities, apparently.  And for Brassica and beer. 

(not a part of this post but we received this photo from my sweet cousin Lauren and her new hubby with our thank-you note.  Look how cute we were at their wedding,

A little return trip to Holden after work one day because, I mean, LOOK at it.  And we really should be taking advantage of our membership. I so wish this place was just a tiny bit closer to home.  Or that I had just a tiny bit more free time.  Because I would like to spend more time here, with a book, on any number of perfectly placed benches with curated, magical views...

This kitten.  We are apparently keeping her.  How could we not?  She is a purr machine who wants to be with us at all times and enjoys hanging out in the bathtub.  She fits right in to our household of weird mammals. 

Even in our nonstop life we find time for weekend shenanigans.  Like happy hour flights with my work bestie...

...and an attempted trip to the return of MIX at CMA. Which was sold out.  But we enjoyed the galleries by night and the house-beat ambiance from the balcony.  

And any excuse to wear my corset.  Talked into this by my daughter of course. 

Porch fire drinks were just as good as the cocktails at MIX, anyways. 

Our Broadway series this year started off with a bang, with the best production of Les Mis that I've every seen, in my long history of seeing Les Mis.  It was a joy to share this show with Ivy.  She was a bit nonplussed by the experience at first, but by the end she was hooked.  "you were right, mom, the second half IS so sad!" 

Home in time to join two of my very favorites on Zoom.  We are holding on to our Zoom happy hours as best we can as the pace of life continues to ramp up.  So many of the unexpected gifts of the pandemic have fallen to the wayside in favor of the frenetic pace of normal life.  But I don't want to lose the renewed connections we've made with our far-away friend family. 

October was a good month to rejoin my Sunday run group.  Fabulous running weather helps to offset the early wake-up, as do the conversations with friends.  In the craziness of this fall, something has had to give, and that something was running.  I'm only doing a 2-5 miles a week right now. Better than nothing I guess but I am looking forward to getting this old self in better shape just as soon as time allows...

Morning light with cats and tuba.  Sometimes this fall I feel like I am never at home.  But Sunday mornings Nat and I  always find time for coffee together in the dining room.  A moment to stop and notice how lovely this crazy life really is.