A Daybook for the Start of September

Happy Monday friends!  And for those you with a holiday today…enjoy!  Hooray for three day weekends.  I’m old.  We are retired. But we still have plans to enjoy this “free” Monday.  We will be going to a picnic with our church family this afternoon which, typically, would sound like a lot of fun; however, the forecast for today is 100.  Triple digits.  Did the weatherman not get the memo that everyone is in full-on autumn mode?  This photo is from last year’s picnic.  Not sure how many will be playing volleyball outside this year, but we will see.

So many have already decorated for fall and even started enjoying the pumpkin latte madness.  I have not done either and, to be honest, I am all about clinging onto summer (no complaints here) but I will admit, an outdoors picnic does seem a bit more appealing with a teeny less heat.  Ah well, we will survive.  Enough rambling.  I hope everyone has a great Monday…and leave me a comment.  Let me know how your week is starting.  Unseasonably hot?  Soaking wet?  Or is it beginning to feel a lot like autumn (cue my music!)?  Here’s my daybook for today.

The Weather – is unseasonably warm – as I already mentioned.  And it is supposed to stay that way the entire week.  Maybe longer.  I’m not exactly sure how all those mums I have seen at the markets and home stores are going to fair, but my summer flowers are not exactly happy with the weather either.  I’m thinking it is time to pull all the annuals out and give everything a rest with a blank canvas, so to speak, before I begin planting and decorating for fall.

As I look outside my window  – I see my neighbor put a pumpkin on the porch.  A blue pumpkin.  Hmm.  What do you think of “other than orange” pumpkins?  The white ones can be pretty, I suppose.  But I’m not so sure about blue.  Perhaps it is the Fourth of July wreath they still have on the door behind it that is not working – lol!  If you are going to make the porch look fall….well, make the (whole) porch look like fall.  Just sayin.

This morning, I am – looking forward to some picnic food.  All the (heavy but, yes, yummy) comfort foods are coming.  I know it.  But burgers (veggie, of course) with all the toppings, baked beans and potato salad sound so yummy right about now!  Good thing there is a picnic on the agenda:)

Lately, I have been thinking about – clean make-up and facial care.  Especially facial care.  I have a very minimal face care routine.  For the most part, morning and evening moisturizer.  I think the products I use are fairly healthy, clean and with minimal ingredients.  But I am often looking for other brands….if just for comparison’s sake.  I know my make-up could use improvement but I tend to get overwhelmed when looking for products.  Especially overwhelmed with the prices.  Just something on my radar of late.

What I’m wearing – my summer clothes on repeat.  I went through my summer things a couple of weeks ago.  I got rid of the things that I rarely wore this summer as well as several other things that I had worn but do not really like.  The remainder is a bit sparse but I am okay with it because now my closet holds just the things I enjoy wearing.  I am ready to mix it up a bit, though.  Add a long-sleeve shirt or something.  But I don’t think that will be this week.  Or even next.

On the menu this week – cowboy beans.  Have you heard of them?  They is actually just baked beans with ground beef and bacon added.  I’m making some for the picnic today.  I am also making a vegetarian version with a plant-based meat substitute.  Those substitutes are not necessarily the healthiest options but, every once in a while, you just need some “fake meat” in your dish – lol!!

I’m looking around the house – and I’m thinking a little bit of fall in here would not look too bad.  I’m not quite ready to pull out the bins.  And I’m definitely not ready for all the fall things but a few touches here and there would make things look fresh.  And fall-ish.  I don’t want to be a fall grinch or anything.  Truthfully, I like fall/autumn/whatever.  I just know that fall brings winter and that is the saddest thing of all.  But, perhaps I will pull out one of those bins:)

My To-Do List – includes a bit of paint touch-ups.  I’ve noticed several dings (I can’t think of a better word) or scuffs here and there and I want to touch those up.  I also have noticed the baseboards really need scrubbing…not just dusting.  Ugh.  This is a chore I do not like.  One other thing on my list of possibilities for this week is to make friendship bread.  Do you remember these lovely loaves of sweet bread….and the starter that you would share with any and everyone who would accept it?  They used to be so popular.  I think the sourdough craze has taken its place lately.  But I pulled out an old recipe friendship bread and think I might make a few loaves for gifting.

A thought to share – Not sure where I read this.  I’m sorry that I do not the source.  But it resonated with me.  “When I think I deserve the good things and when I believe those good things are ‘normal’ ……, it kills my gratefulness.”

And, from my camera.  A view of Harper’s Ferry.  Taken from a hiking trail above the town.  We used to enjoy taking the kids to Harper’s Ferry back in the day but there really is not much there anymore.  This picture is from two weeks ago….and do you see that tree in the corner?  Leaves already turned!! Oh boy….