What Happened to the Fall?

Last week I began working on some glove puppets for a fall residency in a preschool. I planned to turn the gloves into autumn trees and needed to make 45 puppets. I’d seen some small fall-looking fabric leaves at the dollar store, and it would be a quick run, so I added the stop to my errand list. To my surprise, when I went into the store this early in the month of November, all of the fall items had already been replaced with Christmas ones!

“What happened to all of the fall stuff?” I asked.

“Oh, we switched out on Halloween,” was the answer I got.

“What? But the fall just started!” I left and ran to another dollar store, just in case they had left over fall foliage, but they didn’t, either. My next thought was Wal-Mart (it was just across the parking lot) – certainly they had not switched out all of their fall items! BUT! They had! All of their fall things, including Thanksgiving decorations (except for Thanksgiving paper plates and napkins) were 75% off and there was nothing left worth having. No colored leaves, just lots different-colored poinsettias… Did you know you can get poinsettias in purple with glitter?

What happened to November? What happened to the moment? What happened to slowly phasing out one holiday into the next? What happened to looking forward to the big dinner at Thanksgiving?  I understand having Christmas craft items and fabrics out early, after all I am a crafter and an artist; if you are going to make stuff for Christmas you need those things early so you can have handmade gifts ready – but changing over the ENTIRE STORE? It made me feel pushed, stressed, and rushed, like they were trying to force me into skipping over Thanksgiving.  

“Do you have any fall foliage left?”  I asked.

“Only what is in the clearance area,” was the answer.

I left the store frustrated and went home, without even finishing my other errands. I took out my colored felt and began cutting out leaves for my glove puppet trees. These would be for the moment, for the fall, for the season we are in right now. One of the reasons I most love storytelling and puppetry is that it takes you to the moment. The storyteller takes you on a journey that phases gently into what is next. Not a rush, not a push but a transition. To be sure, it is good to plan; we all have to plan ahead, but don’t forget about this moment.

Watch the leaves fall, smell the air, have a cup of tea, go listen to a storyteller, and then tell some stories around the dinner table as you gather with family and friends.

Sure enough, Christmas will get here eventually…don’t push it.

What if it rains on Halloween?

Tomorrow is Halloween. Normally, my neighbor and I would both be sitting at the end of our driveways in folding chairs, handing out candy and talking about nothing in particular. I would also have a puppet with me chatting with the kids as they come by. It’s rather entertaining as children and adults look at the puppet, then look back at me and say, “Is it real?” Imaginations are especially active on October 31st.

This year the forecast says there is an 80% chance of rain on Halloween. GASP!! Is there a rain date? I mean, what am I going to do with all of this candy? I suppose I could put it in the freezer and save it for all of the holidays that are coming.

Growing up in a very small town, we had a rain date for Halloween: November 1st. But if it rained on November 1st too, we were out of luck. Families were stuck with buckets of candy and kids were left with costumes that became part of the dress-up box. Since my family lived on the top of a mountain we never had to buy candy to hand out because no one came by saying ‘trick or treat.’ This lack of life experience has left me in the middle of a dilemma and wondering: What does everyone do with their candy when it rains on Halloween?

I just had a thought … I could make Butter Finger pancakes, Nestle Crunch cookies, or put some chopped up Baby Ruth pieces in banana bread.  I don’t know!! You have any ideas?

Tell me your story:

What do YOU do with left over buckets of Halloween candy?

It's Better Breakfast Day

Today is National Better Breakfast Day. I like breakfast, don’t you? From bagels and peanut butter, grits with cheese, fresh cinnamon rolls, oatmeal with dried fruit and cinnamon, yogurt and fresh fruit, homemade oatmeal pancakes with berries… I could continue, but you get the idea.

Breakfast feels like comfort to me. During the week my husband makes coffee in the morning because he gets up before I do. When I wake up it’s there waiting for me. We each get our own breakfast and watch the news while we eat. On the weekends I get up first and make the coffee and Sunday mornings, I make breakfast: oatmeal pancakes with fresh fruit and homemade whipped cream.  Sometimes we even have breakfast for dinner. It might be a bowl of cereal, some toast with cream cheese, or I might make those delicious pancakes.

Tonight I think breakfast for dinner just might be in order. As I write this I’m also thinking there might be a personal story to write about breakfast. I’ll ponder that as I flip those pancakes on my cast iron griddle and listen to the sausage crackle as it cooks. A bit of orange juice in a goblet and hot tea on the side (coffee will keep me awake if I have it for dinner).  

Really, what makes it a better breakfast for me? Sharing it with someone I love.

Here are some photos of recent yummy breakfasts we’ve made!

Happy 4th!

Tomorrow is July 4, 2019. Be safe, drink water, use sun screen, have fun, celebrate, and write down your family stories!!

Steven and I will be calmly celebrating at home since he had surgery on Monday and is recovering. We'll watch fireworks on TV in the cool of our air conditioning as others brave the near 100 degree temps outside. I’ll make turkey burgers on a cast iron skillet on my stove and we will have corn on the cob. It'll be a story to tell next year.

Happy 4th, everyone! How will you celebrate this year?

It is National Vanilla Pudding Day

Today is National Vanilla Pudding Day. Did you know that vanilla pudding had its own day? I didn’t. It is also National Solitaire Day. Who knew that solitaire needed a day, too? Maybe Vanilla Pudding Day was created to support Solitaire Day… obviously, you eat vanilla pudding while you play solitaire. Also, it is National Buy a Musical Instrument Day. So, you go out and buy an instrument after you are bored from playing solitaire and eating vanilla pudding? I like to look up National Days; I find them amusing.

What’s the story behind them?

Who registered Vanilla Pudding Day? Why was that so important to them?

How about solitaire? Who came up with that?

I don’t know the real stories behind these “special” days, but I do believe they are the start of a great tall tale.

Have a good day. I think I’ll play some solitaire, eat some vanilla pudding, and go buy an instrument.

What are you going to do today?