I know I promised more knitting posts, and they really are coming, but I almost didn't post this week because I was sidetracked by trying to get some decent pictures of one of the projects, given a toddler who is all over the place, overcast days, and a lens that is too slow. (My best and most versatile lens broke, for a second time [I'd had it repaired last November], on the day Fiona broke her leg. I need to get it repaired, but it's expensive to do so, and the previous repair isn't under warranty any longer, bla bla bla.) Anyway, I'm working on it.

Onward....

Today was a perfect October day. It was rainy, and then drizzly. We're at a point now where more leaves have changed than haven't. Looking out the window to leaves falling is so heavenly.

I daydreamed about some knitting, which will have to wait a few more days.

I spent some time, with a lot of "help" from all three of my little helpers, tracing patterns for Halloween costumes (all done with that! thank goodness! I hate tracing patterns!). I'm a procrastinator, for sure, but I'm still optimistic that I can avoid last year's all-night sewing catastrophe. (Wherein I started sewing at 9pm the night before Halloween, sewed for 7 hours straight, slept for 4 hours, got out of bed and sewed for another 8 hours without breaks.) I think this year's costumes will be easier, and I'm going to start sewing on Monday.

After we finished the tracing, we headed out to the knitting shop to get some needles, walk around our little downtown, and get some ice cream. We sat on a bench (in our handknit sweaters) to enjoy our ice cream, watch the leaves blow, and people walk by.

When we got home, the mailman was just arriving with some goodies. We all love to receive a little package in the mail! When daddy got home, we made a yummy black bean tortilla pie (sorry, no link, but it's from Everyday Food October 2003), and snuggled down in jammies and woolies with stories and cuddles.

I was thinking, "This is the life."

These beautiful things, in one day, so perfectly encapsulated so many of the things I love about October. Home comforts, cool, crisp weather, costuming, knitting (or dreaming of it), busying ourselves with preparation for winter, with thoughts of warmth, and comfort. All amidst the amazing loveliness that the season offers.

{No, my life isn't perfect, and I'm not always as good at recognizing the good that there is as I should be. But this was one of those days, which had actually started out kind of badly, that managed to turn around into something that was simple and extraordinary all at the same time. And I know that I'm so incredibly blessed, in spite of the times when things are hard, or I'm grumpy, or the kids are misbehaving, or whatever. I'm not abnormally lucky -- I have very real struggles -- but I surely do appreciate the opportunity to slow down and recognize the goodness that is always there, even in small ways, if I allow myself to be open to it.}

uncommon grace