I'm falling for Fall

We are so lucky living in the Northwest, I know people say that a lot, but really this year the weather has been stellar! The air is clear and clean and this lingering Summer is just indescribable. I was able to run outside all year long. That can get kind of sketchy in the winter, because I am a bit of a weather wiener. I mean if it is raining and its a race, well there is no help for it, but to voluntarily go out when its pouring down rain....... well that's another story all together.

Yesterday was the best day yet this year for a run.  I mean it!  I have to admit I am normally a summer runner.  I love to be up just as the sun rises, when there is a cool breeze, but the air is warm and you know that as soon as the sun comes over the horizon you will be able to feel the heat on your skin.

But yesterday, was gorgeous.  Cool, but still warm enough for short sleeves and no gloves yet! I didn't go out until 11 or so, had to get the groceries purchased and put away, I hate it when daily chores get in the way of my run. :-) (I did get some pumpkin biscotti and pumpkin cinnamon rolls by the way.)

Anyway, by then the fog had burned off, it was sunny and breezy, but not too windy.  Every corner I turned had glorious leaves drifting down. They were made even more colorful by the still warm fall sun. I just kept finding myself thinking, 'It is so beautiful out!'

I do love this time of year, the change and the mystery. Things hunkering down and putting themselves to bed for the winter, yet going out in a blaze of glory with crimson leaves and russet mums.  All the crisp, crunchy apples, and the rich, smooth squash.  Piles of pumpkins, squash and gourds bright and inviting outside all the grocery stores and weekend markets.

It may all be coming to an end with the rain setting in.  The wind and wet downing the leaves into slick, slippery piles, but yesterday, it was the best.

Is there such a thing as too much pumpkin? NO, I say!

So I will admit that I am a Trader Joes junkie.  I mean, I do most of my weekly shopping there, so it's not some sort of creepy stalker situation, but I am turning into one of those people who knows when the seasonal items show up.

In the spring there are Irish Bangers.  The best sausages, EVER. My family went crazy for them.  Available around St. Patrick's, duh.  In November the peppermint Jo-Jos show up. Now if you are a chocolate and mint person and you have not had these cookies, mark your calendars!  The usual Jo-Jo chocolate sandwich cookies, with crushed up candy cane bits in the filling. OMG!  The peppermint truffle chocolates, dark chocolate peppermint bark, dark chocolate stars-shortbread cookies, mini iced gingerbread men, and the piece de resistance, dark chocolate covered peppermint Jo-Jos.  Enough said I think.

So it is with much anticipation that I await October when the pumpkin items hit the store.  Pumpkin Greek yogurt, country spice pumpkin granola, cranberry pumpkin scone mix, pumpkin bagels, pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin waffles, pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread and muffin mix, pumpkin cornbread mix, pumpkin spice coffee-0h, yes-, and last but not least the ginger snap pumpkin mini ice cream sandwiches. Heaven! So as my daughter was helping me unload my pumpkin laden groceries she said in her best snarky teen voice, 'Mom, clearly you have a problem'. Whatever, I gave here my patented eye roll.

Two days later when my husband took the dog in for his haircut, he got the Halloween special. Uh-oh. Yep, he came home with a jack-o-lantern tag on his collar, a jack-o-lantern bandanna and you guessed it, smelling like pumpkin spice! 'MOTHER!' my daughter said giving me the, clearly you are insane look. I tried to tell her it was not me this time, she was not buying it.

So this week as I had my sample of pumpkin spice coffee with a bite of pumpkin cereal bar while shopping, I put the pumpkin toaster pastries, cranberry pumpkin scone mix and some pumpkin yogurt in the cart.  I resisted the pumpkin Os cereal, I was proud of myself!  After all there are only 4 weeks in October and then like The Great Pumpkin it will all be gone for another year.