hello fall
embracing the season you're in while eating a tv dinner alone + great fall books!
I enjoyed
’s take on the bittersweet arrival of fall. I, too, have many feelings: bittersweet nostalgia but also gleeful excitement for the season.I LOVE fall. It brings up memories of running cross-country in Nebraska, apple picking, applesauce, SOCCER, baking, picking pumpkins with the kids. It’s what I love most about living in New Hampshire. Even if it’s the shortest season of all.
The “bitter” is the critter movement. I can empathize with the animated Disney mice and bunnies and Bambi families fleeing from cold and danger to safer habitats. I could happily house Cinderella’s animated Gus.
But I have a terrible, irrational fear of real, un-animated living mice which I blame on several unfortunate childhood experiences. Give me a spider any day.
Yesterday our field was hayed, likely forcing small rodents from the field…straight AT ME. Our mini-schnauzer, Artie, brought in a mouse and dropped it on our living room rug because…does he hate me??? (Mice are the #1 reason I fear living alone. Who would take care of it?)
Hearing my…strangulated death sounds, my 85-year-old father-in-law leaped into action by quickly rolling his walker to the mouse and picking it up with a paper towel. “It’s warm,” he said. “A fresh kill.”
I died.
How it will end:
(art from
who always makes me laugh :)Poor Artie. I can hardly look at him let alone touch his doggie beard…we are healing together.
Turning to more nostalgic seasons of life-
My sister-in-law Marco Polo’d me the other day.
“Sorry I haven’t done my hair,” she said. The three kids were home from school, eating cereal, spilling milk, showing me the puppy.
“You wouldn’t recognize this house,” sister said, panning the camera at the spread of a half-finished puzzle, homework strewn across the table, little pieces of toys everywhere. The video ended abruptly with “No, no, no!” as the puppy was peeing on the carpet.
I laughed out loud.
It was all so familiar, like it was yesterday. I blinked and the children grew up. After ALL OF THEM lived here this summer, ALL OF THEM are gone having their own superb, season-of-life adventures (Cambridge, England; College; Ocean Classroom for fall term!)
What a life our children lead. What amazing seasons.
Gregor and I are dealing. Thank goodness I quite adore him.
Artie the schnauzer is dealing.
Arthur my wonderful father-in-law is picking up the mice.
So all is well. Even if it’s terribly quiet.
Here’s something I’m really glad I did: started writing when I was really really busy and had young children.
Don’t wait to act on your “calling.” Because children grow up. And you will be left with yourself and an *Indian tv dinner that you microwave and eat alone at lunchtime.
*from Trader Joe’s (I do have my standards!)
Anyway. You will be glad you started right now. Seeds grow. Money multiplies. Habits form. And we are left with what we started and kept working at.
You know what else? It’s never going to get easier to do. That’s just something we say.
Start now, in whatever season you’re in.
If you've never planted a rose, maybe it's time.
Baby steps make dreams come true.
Happy fall y’all. I believe in you, through every season.
Amy
Middle Grade Books With “Autumn Vibes”
From @thedailyjoybookshelf I spy GUINEVERE!
If you’re local, Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord New Hampshire has signed books for you. Both Guinevere and Ten Thousand Tries have classic fall settings!
Five Adult Classic Reads for Fall
Rebecca by Daphne DuMurier "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again..."
We Have Always Lived In The Castle by Shirley Jackson Shirley Jackson’s beloved gothic tale of a peculiar girl named Merricat and her family’s dark secret
The Secret History by Donna Tartt Eccentric misfits at a New England college
The October Country by Ray Bradbury A short story collection of chilling encounters
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley It is the summer of 1950–and at the once-grand mansion of Buckshaw, young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events
For readers and writers:
Democracy: It’s Banned Books Week. And really important to think about the freedom to read…
Vote? Nominate your favorite children’s book of 2023 HERE
What I’m Reading: Good For a Girl by Lauren Fleshman (Dang, it’s SO GOOD)
What are you reading?
"You know what else? It’s never going to get easier to do. That’s just something we say." SO GOOD.
Hi Amy ... keep an eye on the nominations list. If your book isn't nominated you'll have the opportunity to submit it for our judges. This 2-week period is for readers to nominate, and we ask that authors/publishers please wait before "self-recommending" books.
https://www.cybils.com/publisher-author-information