It’s Fall Y’all!

Its Fall and half of the month of October is nearly gone !!! I would love to say I don’t know where it went, but I do!

The Markers of Fall

Just like any other season, I seem to have a full plate this fall. Mentally September always signals that fall is here, for me. Of course, because I am of a certain age Labor Day indicates the end of summer and the start of the school year, and therefore the start of fall weather. I grew up in the northern wine country of California (Sonoma) and this time of year the fog and onshore breezes start to blow with just a hint of the cooler temperatures just around the corner. Kentucky is nothing like northern California. In September the temperatures are generally still very summer-like outside. The trees are turning, but nothing with any real color. Just this maple in the front yard with a little bit of fall color at the top.

September

In September the full extent of ‘Real Life’ came roaring back. The first quilt show since March of 2020 happened. The Elizabethtown guild has an annual fall quilt show in September. This year the Heartland of Kentucky Quilt Show was back on. When the USA shut down for COVID-19 on March 12th, 2020, I was on my way up to Chicagoland to have a booth at a quilt show. I was en route when I got the call. I turned around and came home and put everything away for the next 20 months.

Preparing for the Heartland of Kentucky Quilt Show felt very much like starting over! It took a good chunk of September to work it all out and to look things over, make plans, and pack. There were a couple of slight complications too. The show would be at a new venue and the booth spaces would be a different size, so I had to take that into account as well.

The show was a success. We asked everyone to wear a mask inside the building and all the comments were good and everyone enjoyed the quilts and the vendors. The new location was also very nice, especially since it was brand new.

October

During the first half of October, I prepared for another annual fall event. This time it is the Bluegrass One Stop Shop Hop, in Shepherdsville Kentucky. Because I just had a booth at the Quilt Show, I don’t need to think too much about how to get ready for it. The packing is done and I am getting the last-minute things together.

In addition to the regular fall events above, I have started my seasonal baking. I am early this year and it begins with biscotti and will end with biscotti!!! In the middle will be some pies and other desserts for the Thanksgiving holiday. Fortunately, biscotti is essentially already stale the minute it cools, so it keeps for a very long time! So far I have 3 flavors made, the traditional “Italian anise” (licorice flavor), an original Cranberry Orange flavor, and my own take on a ‘Cinnamon Roll’ flavor, also known as ‘crack’ around here! I hope to get a few more made next week starting with a Christmas favorite “Peppermint”. Personally, I don’t even need to have coffee with it.

Do you enjoy fall? What’s your favorite fall thing? Tell us in a comment!

More later-Beth