Fall

Fall is a lovely time of the year. 

         These things make me happy... 

• cool breezes coming from the sky, dotted with puffy clouds
• the colorful leaves slowly drifting into scattered piles
• the fresh cornucopias of harvest blessings
• Halloween costumes 
• bags and bags of candy
• homemade soup steaming on the stove
• pumpkin pie and apple crisp
• Candy corn mixed with salty peanuts
• girl's  weekend up north
• visiting local orchards- fresh donuts and honeycrisp apples
• Scarecrows and corn husks decorating the light posts
• Jack-o-lanterns lit on the porch
• long walks in the cool evenings

Autumn is wonderful...if I were a bird, I'd fly all around the globe, roosting in all the 'autumns' of the world.

      Things I don't love about autumn...

• MEAP tests
• knowing the cold and snow of winter is right around the corner
• late sunrises and early sunsets

Fortunately for me...the positives far out weigh the negatives of Autumn.   Let's enjoy the few days we have left of God's beauty.

Pure beauty...

Girl's weekend

Of course, we visited the pumpkin lady

Last weekend was a wonderful girl's get-away weekend.  Nine girlfriends trekked west across our great state to Pentwater.  There, we celebrated Marilyn's 'big' birthday!!  It was a time to not only celebrate Marilyn's birthday, but it was a time to catch up on what was going on in each other's lives.  Together, we laughed until we cried, ate lots of good food, hiked, climbed, walked, watched a movie together, ate more, shopped, admired God's handiwork in the beautiful colors painted on the trees, picked perfect pumpkins, and slept in till 8:00!  For me, the weekend was like being on a paradise vacation on a far-away island.  I'm so blessed with special friends.  Memories, words of encouragement, uplifting conversations, kindness, thoughtfulness abounding, pumpkins, chocolate. . . so much more. 

Marilyn's delish birtday cake

Present time  ...in our jammies

This says it all :)

On top of Mt. Baldy - simply beautiful (Stella and Cathy were still shopping)

Final photo shoot at the beautiful Pentwater Gazebo