The Three-Month Progression

In my mind, the month of September signifies school in full swing.  Then comes the three month progression that builds slowly and peaks at the end of December. October is relatively calm. The garden is mostly done.  Other than apples (early October for us), everything has been put up. The days are still mild. Pressures are low. We start getting cozy with fires and shorter days.

roasting and pureeing butternut squash

Then comes November.  My thoughts turn to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  The calendar starts filling up with special activities and gatherings.  Since garden work has been abandoned (there's always work that can be done if we want to), we turn our attention to other projects.

the sad, sad state of our garden

Jamey and Sam are renovating the kids' playhouse (an old hog shed)- complete with an actual floor (versus dirt) and electricity.

We look forward to Thanksgiving time with family.  I start a mental list of all the special things I hope to do in December.  We're desperately needing a break from school but we push forward.  We'll take a week off for Thanksgiving.

The faces of our barns are repaired and protected.  As you can see above, the sides of the larger barn and the roofs are in need of paint/repair (a good summer project).

This progression toward Christmas is a mixed bag for me.  In my mind it's like a long climb up a steep mountain.  It makes me tired but at the same time it's invigorating.  I get the occasional blister (a little stress) or major leg cramp (a mini breakdown) but regular breaks and forcing myself to slow down and enjoy the view as I go helps.  Approaching the peak, I get giddy and forge ahead despite my exhaustion.  My eyes are on the prize.  At the top, I am in awe.  The vista is more than I could have imagined and way more than I deserve.