Being With Fall

Thanks to a neighbor, we have recently discovered hundreds of acres of state land a few minutes from our front door. With it being such a short bike ride and even shorter car trip, I've been trying to get away from home every other day for a fall walk with Lars. Although summer is always busy at the homestead, it seems like the October To-Do List accelerates into hyper mode with all of the last minute projects: getting enough hay, storing food, burn piles to burn... The tasks feel endless, but this year I'm not going to miss out on our first fall in Idaho. There is something really refreshing about leaving home to open and quiet land. It centers me and reminds me that slowing down is possible amidst the flurry of trying to get all the fall projects done. It's simple really. Grab some water and head out the door, a sweater for Lars maybe…if I consider all the things I might need or how to fit it into a trip to the library and working around nap time- agh! It becomes just one more task to complete. So, one of my many "works in progress" is to take the time to revel in the yellow aspens against the blue, blue skies, take notice of the scantily-leafed trees becoming more bare by the hour and take early morning inhales of the crisp fall air.