Fall In My Head

I love the colors and scents of Fall!

The air, Oh! My! Word!, the air smells so good!!!!

If I could just look at the fields of ripening soy beans, corn and goldenrod, without being affected with the seasonal allergies which then turns into asthma, I would be so very happy.

A week ago Thursday, the goldenrod in our area bloomed.  I knew it even before I took a drive that led me past a field of it.  My head started feeling like someone was pumping it up like an overblown balloon.  My ears were itching, and THEN the coughing and wheezing started.  It culminated with several asthma attacks this past Wednesday and early Thursday morning.  Over the weekend things started getting better.  I'm finally breathing semi-normally and I don't have to puff on my inhaler every 4 hours to get there.

Aside from the health issues, Fall really is in my head!  I keep thinking about the comfort foods I love to eat at this time of the year; the soups, the desserts, the breakfasts-for-supper, you know.  You do it, too, don't try to kid me or yourself!

Thursday, I made a big pot of  Stuffed Pepper Soup.  Eva was here and kept asking if she could help.  So, as I chopped the beautiful red, yellow, and orange bell peppers up, she put the pieces in the bowl.  As I opened the cans of tomatoes, she emptied them into the pot.  She helped brown the burger.  And she kept a running commentary going.  As we were finishing the assembly process, she looked up at me and said, "Nana, I wuvs your peppew swoup! It makes my bewwy so happy!"  She ate 2 bowls of it for supper and then wanted some for breakfast Friday morning!  I think her belly was very happy!

Saturday was the first time in a while that Sir Nottaguy-Imadad and I had absolutely NOTHING pressing scheduled!  He wanted to go buy some new work boots.  I wanted to take a drive in the country.  We made both things happen.

There's an amazing shoe store up in Loudonville, OH, Buzzard's Family Shoes. (It's about an hour drive from our house.)  It is a small, family run business that is run the old-fashioned way with customer service being at the forefront!  Sir and I walked in the door and were greeted by one of the owners.  He immediately asked my hubby if he was in for new work boots and did he want the same style and maker.  It's been 2 years since we were in.  He remembered my hubby's preferences!  He pulled an index card out of a file with my hubby's name, shoe size, and preferences, and went to the stock room.  He came back with two pairs of boots.  One from the company that we had purchased before and one from another company that the owner thought might be a little better fit. Sir's feet are very hard to fit for steel-toed boots because he has very wide feet and needs a very wide toe box.  Most steel-toe boxes cut his toes.  Buzzard's is the ONLY shoe store that has ever managed to get it right, which is why we are willing to make the drive.

While Sir was being taken care of, I mentioned to one of the other workers that I was looking for a pair of comfortable walking shoes that didn't rub my achille's tendon and didn't come clear up on my ankle like the tennis shoes I was wearing.  She asked my size, showed me about 4 pairs of shoes to determine my preferences and then disappeared into the stock room.  Less than 5 minutes later, she was back with 3 pairs of shoes for me to try on.  I bought a pair of black leather, Mary Jane-style walking shoes that feel like I'm wearing bedroom slippers.  They, also, come in a beautiful saddle leather brown.  I'm thinking.....

After we left the shoe store, I told Sir that I really would like to take the longer way home, even though the price of gas is ridiculous.  I wanted a nice relaxing drive in the country with my Sweetie!  So, we made the turn onto State Route 97 and meandered our way through parts of Richland County that we hadn't seen for a very long time, finally connected with Knox County and wound our way home.  It was so nice and relaxing.  We saw trees that were just starting to change colors.  We saw fields and gardens that were bursting with vegetables and flowers that were just about ready to be harvested.  We saw some beautiful country homes and some old, solid farmhouses.  Horses, cows, goats, sheep, and llamas were all out in force.  I could just feel the stress and tension of life melting away while we drove and talked and looked.

I would love to hear how Fall plays in your head.