Autumn arrived a few days ago with a noticeable nip in the air and I’m loving every second of it.
It’s so lovely to go to bed at night and actually want to cuddle under the feather quilt, to wake up in the morning and get cozy in warm flannels before that first cup of hot coffee.
The days are still deliciously warm but no longer sweltering, and it is blissful.
In addition to the arrival of Autumn, there are three things making me smile today:
One: Making Things With Bear
Bear is one of the cleverest chaps I know, and bit by bit he’s teaching me all sorts of skills from simple wood-working to using power tools. I’ve got my own toolbox that we’ve been filling with tools and I get quite a kick out of having my own hammer, wrench set, and power drill.
One of our latest projects was making a medieval stool. Bear designed it and we cut out the pieces and put it all together with wooden dowels. There’s not a single nail in use, but it’s sturdy as can be.
This weekend I finished putting my own stamp on it, wood-burning Viking runes and my own fanciful designs around the top. It delights me no end. Soon I’ll put on a coat of clear, matte varnish to protect the artwork and make sure it doesn’t fade.
Two: Quiet Breakfasts
I’ve been treating myself to leisurely breakfasts each morning before tackling my to-do list. It is exquisitely wonderful to sit quietly in the sunshine, luxuriating in the silence before the cacophony of the barnyard begins.
I linger over ripe, juicy nectarines and an extra large mug of coffee spiced with cinnamon and sweetened with real maple syrup, reading my latest books from the library or getting caught up on journal entries. It’s so helpful in calming my spirit and starting the day off peacefully.
Three: Exploring the Woods
Every season brings new discoveries in our wooded acres at the back of our property. My most exciting find this Autumn has been a flourishing gumbi gumbi tree (aka gumby gumby). Used in bush medicine by Aboriginals and Torres Strait Island people for over 50,000 years, modern researchers have begun using it as an effective treatment for certain types of cancer (source). A friend of mine put me in contact with a local man who grows and uses this amazing plant, and I’m excited to learn from him in the near future.
How about you? What is making you smile today? xo
Oh, how I love the first hints of autumn! It’s a wonderful time… 🙂 And your quiet breakfasts, and exploration – both of those being dear to my heart. I also love how you and Bear make things together. That’s something I cherish doing with Dennis. You’re a girl after my own heart. Wish you lived next door. 🙂 (Better yet – wish I lived next door to YOU!)
I would LOVE to have you as my neighbor, Sosae!!! Wouldn’t we have so much fun meeting for visits while we work on embroidery (you) and burning (me)? 🙂 That would make me very, very happy. 🙂
Your post is making me smile today Krista 🙂
Oh, thank you, @wanderingsheila:disqus 🙂 I feel the same way about your posts. XO
It is interesting to note how working with our hands in whatever way we choose, baking bread, creating a meal, wood burning projects, photography..calm the soul and make us happy.
It really does, Val. The rhythmic movements and quiet moments do wonders. XO
Oh my goodness, autumn already and I am still recalling your first traces of spring when we were there! I love your theme, three things making me smile today. If I were to list mine, one of them would be, ‘reading your blog’! Have a great week!
Can you believe it, @disqus_WseMqaTPwi:disqus ? It totally caught me unawares, but happily so. 🙂 XO
My three things- the utter delight on my girls faces when I made them snow ice-cream with sprinkles on it, a counter clean of dirty dishes and a few minutes to sit and savour a cup of tea. =)
I absolutely love the stool, beautiful and practical. And how lovely to create something together, that is the best. =)
Snow ice-cream sounds marvelous, @breannemosher:disqus !! I’d be beaming at such a gift too. 🙂 XO
Autumn is definitely here for us, Krista, though I suspect your hint of cool is significantly warmer than ours. : ) A beautiful post, as always.
I suspect you are right, @lizposmyk:disqus 🙂 Flip-flops and sundresses are still the garb of the day, but I definitely throw on a flannel shirt in the morning and at night. 🙂
Definitely great things to make one smile. Just being Monday is a great thing to smile about:)
Mondays are such a rejuvenating thing for me too, @disqus_Jw8DFomFS9:disqus 🙂 It’s like permission to start fresh. 🙂
A smaller version of your medieval stool would be great as a goat milking stool. My Grandmother had a herd of milking goats and she had a sturdy home made stool to sit on whilst milking. (Nowhere near as nice as yours). No doubt my Grandfather knocked it up for her and he was not in to pretty – only functional. 🙂 You have made me think long and hard to find something that makes me smile. I have been trying to vary our meals and have been looking up new recipes. It makes me smile to be able to get back into cooking exotic things, now that I don’t have fussy kids to feed. Our son loves eating meat and our daughter is a Vegan so family meals were always a challenge, but now I only have two to please 🙂
I’ve noticed we are now in Autumn too. It seemed to arrive very quickly. The nights are definitely cooler and the days are shorter too. Those gumbi gumbi fruits look and sound very interesting. I love that stool – it’s beautiful xx
It’s exciting to read your post with the start of autumn. It’s my favourite time of the year when the heat gives away to that little nip in the air. However, we are in the throes of winter here in CO and I actually love it. The weekend was snowy and cold but beautiful. Today the sun was shining and we had a glimpse of spring. Not for long though because next week it’s snow again. I love your stool, it’s beautiful. And can’t wait to see the blue pumpkins. We have some here called hubbards, I wonder if they are the same thing? Thanks for stopping by my site!!
I cannot wait to read more about your gumbi gumbi tree!
I am smiling reading this post, simply because you are sounding content. Krista. 🙂
That stool had me smiling even before I clicked over to read your post. I love where it’s situated – seems the perfect place to sit and daydream 🙂
Things that made me smile today included baby coos, a variety of fruity green teas, and sunlight that stretched from before breakfast to just after supper.
Enjoy your autumn!
I love this feature you do here, makes me smile as well. Love the quiet breakfast, they really are a great way to start the day. Enjoy your rest of the week!
Love, love, love the stool – so beautiful!!!!!!
Oh my goodness – that is SO beautiful! I wish I was crafty like that…what a gorgeous piece of furniture…you guys should make more!!
Quiet breakfast are one of my favorite things in the whole world… I try to have them as often as I can 🙂 One thing that made me smile today was seeing the sunshine after weeks of rain 🙂 hope it’s sunny where you are !
Ah, autumn my favorite time of year, filled with beautiful fall colors, pumpkins and nice warm temperatures. Love your beautiful bench, it would make me smile as well 🙂