Wordless Wednesday: Fall in Full Swing

Fall's Fury

Without any warning, the weather seems to have flipped from melting-hot midsummer to damp-and-dreary, late fall. It's a shock to everyone's systems -- I lost count of how many friends are reporting colds, or just feeling cold.

Yes, it is cold. But it's not winter cold (thank goodness)... not yet. The rain and wind don't help, but believe me... come late January, you'll be wishing for temperatures above freezing. I don't really mind these dismal days. It's an excuse for extra coffee and wearing sweat pants with over sized, fluffy socks.

Inside becomes a sanctuary during the rain. I've got pumpkin spice scented candles and little bits of autumn decor around the house. I hope to gather a few more bits and pieces as Halloween approaches -- we certainly need some Jack-o-lanterns and horror-themed items.

So for those of you sick of this weather, or literally sick from this weather, hang in there. Enjoy your blankets, soup, cookies, and movies. It will pass and we'll be able to hit the pumpkin patches and hiking trails again. At least, for a little while, before winter steamrolls us all into hibernation.

A Girl Can Dream

(Photo taken at Ort Farm in Long Valley, NJ)

It’s kind of crazy for a little suburban girl to want to uproot to the middle-of-nowhere, start a small farm and train a sled dog team. But I guess I’ve never been all that sane.

Yesterday I biked around Sandy Hooky with my dad, Dan and Dexter. The weather was just cool enough for Dexter to run the whole five or six miles without any problem. It felt great to be back on my bike after a month without it (although my knees thought otherwise at 4 am this morning).

On the way down to the shore, my Dad and I talked about selling the house and moving to the country. We’d get a little house on a big piece of land, and raise alpaca. My mom would grow her fruits and vegetables on a larger scale, and my sister would make farm-fresh baked goods (pies, muffins, etc.). We’d sell our goods at farmers’ markets, or maybe in our own little country store.

I’d still do graphic design, but I’d also tend to a small chicken coup and train sled dogs. In the fall, we’d have a pumpkin patch for people to visit, and the sled dogs would cart around guests’ pumpkins. In the winter, we could pull people around on sleds. A taste of Alaska, right in New Jersey.

Of course, this is all just a fantasy. Fun to think about, but something my parents won’t really do. But that doesn’t mean I won’t. I’m looking at farms for sale right now. Much too early to seriously consider, but fun to dream. A few more years of working and building my freelance portfolio, and paying a mortgage won’t be out of the question — especially if it’s on a little farm in bumble-fudge.

In the mean time, I guess I’ll keep working with Dexter. Hopefully in the spring I’ll get another sled-worthy dog, and by the following winter I’ll have them training together. I also hope to have a successful garden next spring/summer. My own miniature, back-yard farm.

A girl can dream — even if it’s not about handsome men, expensive shoes, or designer purses.