One short vanilla breve and one short hot cocoa to go before hitting the grocery store. No boys. Big smiles.

I forgot to arrange a sitter, so I sent him without me. Part of me wanted to go, but I was afraid I’d have nothing to say to them. I didn’t realize he was going to come home so late and so hungry.

When it’s twelve degrees outside on New Year’s Day, it’s important to stay near the fire, have a guitar dance party, and drink eat leftovers for dinner.

The first time I visited the website of accomplished Stockholm-based illustrator Ingela P. Arrhenius, she was coincidentally having a giveaway. I entered, and to my great surprise I won this studly little Swedish man. He now sits on our nature table and watches over the children as they do their homework. He has found a compatriot in my grandfather’s Dala horse.

This walleyed draft snake came out of the swirling flokati rug mist and took his place along the bottom edge of our front door, full of kitty litter and all business.

I do like this time of year, when the outside colors are shifting from vibrance to reserve, diving deeper down into their end season. I, for one, think grays and browns are quite lovely, and bittersweet.

Warm cookies and gloomy skies are the October norm in central New York. He was home all week with the flu. We sat next to each other on the couch, our respective laptops at hand. She wished for flu so she could take her place on the couch, too. The after school cookies were my compromise. We’re looking forward to the weekend: bulb planting, garden clean-up, and sewing for some of us, more couch time for others. Happy weekend to you. ...

A classic dinner scene at the beach. I am honored that this shot was chosen as photo of the day today over at The Maternal Lens.

As I watched this day end I somehow knew that I was really watching the end of a season. When we left the next morning, the air had turned much colder. The leaves that lined the turnpike with fire on our way down turned brown and curled in the wake of our speeding northbound minivan.

When they got home from school they began filling the boxes with their plans, hopes and dreams for the month.