Today I fulfilled another right of passage that comes with the crisp autumn air. It wasn’t as fun as picking apples, baking or getting lost in a corn maze.
Today I officially pulled out the sweaters, long sleeve shirts and jeans. I pulled out the pull overs and fleece sweaters. The sneakers and thin hats. And in there place, in the big empty tub, I put away the sun dresses, the tank tops and bathing suits. The sandals and shorts will soon follow. The shorts were left because we need them for soccer, and as anyone in New England knows, you can wear long sleeve tee shirts with shorts on those in between days. I know some of those clothes will come out next year, to be worn by one of the girls, but like any kids, Moe will probably grow a little too much to wear some of her dresses. As I was putting them away, a wave of nostalgia hit me as I thought of the times I saw her in those cute little outfits, wondering just how much she’ll grow over the new few months. Will she still fit the purple starred sundress I sewed this spring? Will the blue dress Mema made still fit? And I hope that some things will still be her size and that she’ll still like dresses come summer.
It’s still a tad too early, but I did peek at the winter coats in the back of the closet. The snow pants in the basement and the boots in the bag are still waiting to come out.. I recently washed them all when I had just a small load to do, so that’s one small task completed. I know before long, we’ll be grabbing those in the morning as the air gets cooler. Already, the girls have been reaching for the fleece pullovers as they head out the door to school. By mid afternoon when I pick them up, the fleece is shoved into the bottom of their backpacks, only to emerge again the next crisp morning.
These next few weeks will involve other tasks designed to get one prepared for winter. Already, the pool is put away, the riding toys are off to the side and the bulbs have been planted. The bushes need trimming, the gutters need cleaning and the leaves need raking. The storm doors need to be put up, the grass needs some seeding. Some times I wonder what is the point? In a few months, when we come out of hiding, it’s all going to start again. The toys will be pulled out, the grass left to yellow (toys and dogs tend to kill a yard fast), the bulbs that were not eaten over the winter will sprout.
Autumn is my favorite season, but with it comes work. A lot of work that goes into making my yard a haven to birds and butterflies, for kids and friends. A place to relax in and to have fun. I know in the long run, that all this hard work will pay off.
When do you pack away the summer items for good? Do you pack the clothes now or wait until a little longer? I know that the weather here is always unpredictable and that we may be reaching for the shorts until December, but there comes a time when you just have to make the switch. For us, the unused clothes is within grabbing reach, so if it tends to stay warm, we can pull out what we need.
7 comments:
I ought to make a list... it's my first fall as a home owner, and our yard is still in the process of being transformed from forest floor to domesticated lawn, so I'm afraid I'll probably miss some things. Like bulbs. When, exactly, do you plant them? Because I read that if you plant them too early, warm weather might induce them to sprout...
Bulbs like tulip and daffodil can be planted anytime in the fall. It depends on the winter though, because I had had plants sprout in January the last two years!
I've started going thru the girls clothing, moving the shorts and t-shirts into a spare dresser. I haven't done jackets yet, but I have washed sweatshirts and fleece pullovers.
When I was a child, I lived in California for a few years, and we never rotated any seasonal clothing. So it came as a total surprise to me when we moved back to New England and my mother began the seasonal clothing thing. I hated it so much... the sorting, folding, storing, unfolding, hanging, thinking... that as an adult, I just don't do it. I instead have specific shelves, closets, drawers, etc. for summer-ish things and others for winter-ish things. This way, I am always ready for any weather that New England sends. And I am required to do very little thinking!
On the other hand, my Mom now lives in senior housing and has about a zillion clothing storage bags in her specified storage area... for, you know, the seasonal switch.
Sharon - Pinks & Blues Girls
I would keep them out if I could but I just don't have the space. Either that or they just have too many clothes.
I keep 'em all out. But I am always wishing I didn't!
I've pulled out all the winter stuff, but the summer stuff isn't far out of reach yet. Who knows what this weather will bring this month?
I also need to 'winterize' my yard----will be splitting up some hostas and planting bulbs soon.
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