Fall in My Midwest

Fall is officially here and for me that is not noted by the fall equinox or because the calendar tells me! It is when you see the first field being harvested! Which I noticed last Friday evening on my way home from work.

Harvest is one of those interesting times, for me it brings back my childhood and an exciting time because the corn and soybeans that you've looked at all summer go from green to brown and the combines, tractors, wagons and semis come out in force to hurry and get everything in before bad weather can halt you and the cold sets in. And also, staying up late on the weekends so I could see my dad. Back then he'd run about 4-6 hours of sleep (if that), leaving before the sun came up and coming home well into the morning hours with no days off unless it rained too much until it was all in. Somethings haven't changed, just my dad doesn't operate on that little of sleep anymore but he works everyday, weather permitting until its done, along with my brother, uncle and hired hands.

There is a change in the air, it gets crisper feeling and mornings are chilly while afternoons can be warm. The smell of harvest...It's a great time! The leaves have begun to change and give over their summer green for the warmer oranges, reds and yellows they becoming. And our anniversary is coming up in November, which always makes for a nice conclusion to most of the fall fun!

I've already made one trip to a local pumpkin patch, they have giant pumpkins, like competition sized pumpkins! :-) And I'm planning a trip to my favorite apple orchard in the next week, hopefully with Jon! It's not the big one in our area that everyone goes to, which is awesome for me because it means there is less people and I feel their cider is hands down the best in the entire world and I doubt that will ever change. Its like drinking an apple is so full and rich with flavor.

But along with all the fun and joys of the season, there is still a lot of hard work. Once again, this fall I will be working as a grain scale operator at a local elevator Friday nights and Saturdays, on top of my full time, day job. I enjoy it though and its worth it.

So, with that said I may not be as diligent with posts in the coming months. Not that I've ever been the best at it or have anything worth reading. But go and enjoy the weather, the apples and pumpkins and the crisp, fresh air, before we rush into the winter months!

"Outlander" Spin

Once again, I have been sucked into a TV show and book series called, "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon. Set in Scotland, first in 1945 then 1743! It has made me fall in love with the tartans of the Scottish clans and with a new appreciation of plaids, which I have refused to even consider the past few years as an option. I love the more subtle patterns.

"Outlander" Spin by cathrynhill featuring a pattern skirt

Book Review: Rewind

Rewind to my Senior year of High School and my British Lit class. We had to read a book by a British author. Having older siblings I knew this was coming, I had helped my sister with her report when she was a Senior on "A Room with a View" by E.M. Forster. The semester before this class I read "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen. It's a small school so the teacher kept track of siblings and what they had read, so you couldn't not read the same book as your sibling. But I was prepared, until I got to class and the teacher said that too many had chosen "Pride and Prejudice." Ugh! I would have to start all over and pick a new book to read, I chose "Jane Eyre" by Emily Bronte.

I just finished re-read "Jane Eyre" this week. Prompted by Netflix and one of the newer movie versions of this book staring Michael Fassbender and Mia Wasikowska as the lead characters.

And as I remembered from way back when I first read this book, the first half is very hard to get through but the second half flies. If you can get through the first half, it is totally worth it for the second! Warning: the conversations and descriptions can get a bit wordy and hard to follow, at least for myself.

The title character of Jane Eyre, is wonderful! She is not a beautiful, well off girl. She is "... poor, obscure, plain, and little..." She is one who has had to fight to survive against prejudices and worked hard to reach and grab for her independence. She respects herself and the law of God.

I did not realize how much this story is about her relationship with God. The differences in what I noticed now and not all those years ago, show my growth in life and understanding is amazing!

I would recommend this book for anyone! But mostly for young women who are facing social pressures! Jane remained strong and true to herself and the Lord she survives throughout the book but still struggled with temptations and finding her own life's mission.