Making Happy Fall Memories

 All of that cleaning I talked about in my last post has led to numerous donations to the local thrift shops.  So many things that I have been holding onto for years have gone on to new homes and I am loving the feel of open space in my cupboards, closets and attic.  I was beginning to feel like my stuff was ruling me and I was spending too much of my time moving things around.  While I do like to change things up for the seasons, I am ready for a much simpler approach to it all.  

It feels like my load has been lightened and I'm ready to get out there and enjoy the season... the beautiful fall season.

This Fall season has been a lovely one here in North Carolina.  The clear blue skies and cool, crisp days have a way of luring us outside.  Last weekend our oldest son asked us to accompany him and his girlfriend to the local pumpkin patch.  It's not every day that our grown kids want to hang out with the parents, so when this offer came along we were happy to join them.

 

 We took a hayride out to the pumpkin patch and searched high and low for the perfect pumpkin. 

We visited with the farm animals, had our fill of apple cider and soon it was time to head for home.

 Had to make sure the pumpkins made it home safe and sound :D.

Yesterday I called my neighbor to see if she was interested in a little day trip.  She was, so we headed out for a drive through the country oohing and aahing at the sights of farmhouses surrounded by trees of gold, orange, russet, yellow and green, cows grazing in the pasture, pumpkins growing in the fields and folks out in their yards raking leaves.  Eventually we ended up at the antique mall.  With my new mindset on minimizing the stuff, I was quite content to just window shop.  Although there was one little item that was calling my name.  One of those things that I've been looking for for quite awhile and it finally surfaced in this antique mall.  I will feature it in an upcoming post and I think you'll see why it couldn't be passed up ;-).

 Our final destination was Carolina Lily where we enjoyed our Picnic-in-a-Pot lunch under the sprawling magnolia tree.  We enjoyed getting caught up on each others news as the birds chirped in the background. 

 Wondering what might be in that Picnic-in-a-Pot?

A very large piece of corn bread with honey butter, Harvest wild rice chicken salad with pecans and craisins, pumpkin pie crumble cake and iced spiced apple juice.  Mmmm, Mmmm ... a very tasty fall lunch.

This lightening of the things in my home has made way for more time for spontaneous events in my life and I'm kinda really liking that.  One time I read an interview where the person was being asked what she collected and she said she collected memories made with her family and friends.  I liked that answer and while I will probably always have a few collections of things that are special to me, I think I'd rather work on the memory making.

Here's to creating some happy memories with the special people in your life.