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| My sis took this pic. It's mom's backyard in NH. |
September 21 was the official beginning of fall. For me, though, the weekend after Halloween seems like the real change of the seasons. Halloween, with its fairs and festivals, corn mazes and pumpkin patches, bonfires and frightful feasts, seems more like summer's last hurrah.
Now, the trees are shaking off their leaves. The coats, scarves, hats, and boots have been moved out of their hiding spots. Calendars are filling with holiday happenings.
So, I'm thinking we need to rename the seasons.
Family Season: November & December.
That *is* what the holidays are supposed to be about, right? I mean, there are those who would say it's more honest to call it the shopping season, but those people just don't have the right kind of loved ones. This is a great time to be thankful for the blessings we already have, and to make more memories, together!
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| One of my lovely "other" families. God puts families together. By birth or by other means. |
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| Dear-old-dad trying to decide where to draw the line between need and want. |
That *is* what the holidays are supposed to be about, right? I mean, there are those who would say it's more honest to call it the shopping season, but those people just don't have the right kind of loved ones. This is a great time to be thankful for the blessings we already have, and to make more memories, together!
Celebration Season: June - October.
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| How can you not celebrate when there's yummy goodness on the grill? |
Vacations. Staycations. Fairs. Festivals. Carnivals. Barbeques. There's just so much to celebrate!
Awakening Season: April & May.
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| My sister, again. She does some great stuff with her camera! |
Have you ever walked in a garden in the Spring? Or worked with tweens/teens? Flowers opening to the sun. Tragic mudslides. Beauty and devastation, side by side. Teens and flowers. Yup. Spring.
Quiet Season: January - March.
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| January 2012, Steilacoom WA, during the "snowpocalypse." |
With just a few tiny exceptions, there's really not much happening at this time of year. We're recovering from the togetherness (and expense) of family season, and preparing for the coming awakening & celebrations. Plus, there's the likelyhood of snow. Hmmm... sounds like a good season for sleeping, reading, and rediscovering yourself. Oh, and the average person lasts until about March (less than 100 days) with their New Year's Resolution. Seems like a good time to change the subject -er- season.
Now that we're on the same page, let me say it again. Welcome to family season. Enjoy this time with family and friends. Celebrate the many ways they make your life richer, better, more fun, more interesting. Whether you are looking at falling leaves or twinkling lights, think of the countless little ways your loved ones make your life more colorful, and count yourself blessed. I know I do.
In the trees near by, the birds make their nests and sing. From the sky you send rain on the hills, and the earth is filled with your blessings. --Psalm 104:12-13 GNT
