The Sounds of Fall

This morning as I sip my coffee, I am listening to the morning.  The sun is coming up.  The birds are singing;  The Meadow Lark's voice stands out from them all.  He is still making his beautiful music as if it was the first day of Spring.  Perhaps it is because it is the first time we have had a full portion of sunshine in a week. I can hear the cows "mooing" loudly from the ranch next door.  They are ready to be moved into the next pasture.    They know when its time for new grass, and "moo" impatiently as they group closely together to wait for the gate to be opened.  The crows are "cawing" this morning as well, and so we have a full symphony to wake us up.  Perhaps some of you wouldn't think of it as a symphony, but I do; I like all those sounds.  They are the sounds of country life, and the sounds of Fall.  The earth is saturated with moisture after a week of overcast and rain.  I am thinking perhaps this drought is broken.  It has come with all manner of expression, bringing upheaval and disaster up North, while here it has brought the much needed moisture.  How strange it all works.  We are feeling for our neighbors for all that has happened to them.  It is all so close to home.  We have been praying for reprieve as we did for the fires earlier in the summer. Such extremes, who can fathom it all.

I have been doing some "Fall" cleaning and rearranging.   Our "Little Cottage" is empty again.  Our friends and neighbors moved to town last week after two years out here with us.  It was a treat to have them as our renters.  I feel the usual pang of the heart when people go away...I believe I am a little like Jane Austen's  "Mr. Woodhouse" in that way.... "Why do people have to go away?"  But never the less, the opening up of the house has got me to rearranging again.  It will be somewhat like it was when Steve and I stayed up there after his accident 2 years ago.  At that time,  my art  studio was there.  It was great having the space to work in; but then it was put in storage when we rented  to our friends two months later.    This week I have been putting it back and have had great joy  settling my "old friends" back into shelves and cabinets and am getting excited about having a real workspace again.  I am also getting it ready  for any company that comes;  we have some  hopes of having the kids and grandkids back home at one time or another this  fall and winter.

In addition to all these things, we have rearranged our bedroom.   We have never rearranged our bedroom in this house, before, because there never seemed another alternative that worked.  Our window placement was the problem.  The only other wall that our bed would fit on has a window that would get in the way of the bed.  Steve gave a try, in spite of my saying "it will look hokey", and I am surprised to say that I am really liking it.  The window problem is still a little "hokey" to me, but we decided "so what" it looks good other wise, and now we have a good deal more space, giving us a little sitting area.

Everyone needs a new arrangement every few years don't you think?   It stirs up a "fresh start" feeling and reenergizes  life.  This is the "Fall inspiration" that has hit me so far... next week I think I will get the decorations out. Isn't Fall a cozy time of year.   What does your fall look like and sound like?

This is where our bed used to be... now we have room for a little sitting area.