I’m lingering again, only this time I’m at our mountain house. I just finished a full grandboy week and needed to refuel. I adore all my grand babies, and wouldn’t give up a minute of time with them, but I was beat.
We came up here late Saturday and arrived to temps more than 20 degrees cooler than at home. In case you aren’t paying attention to the weather, the South is broiling in a drought with very unseasonable 90+ hot days. We are breaking records, leaving one whole region of the country sticky and cranky. (And our grass crunchy!) I know in some places, like my home state of Texas, that’s pretty normal for this time of year, but in North Carolina we expect…no, we demand….Fall to kick in around mid-September. I mean, it’s a rule about living in the Old North State, you get all four seasons at the appropriate time. An escape to cooler places was just what we needed.
And what a breath of fresh air, literally. I think I’ve mentioned before that we don’t have any air-conditioning in this house. We just throw open the windows and let Mother Nature drift through. It’s divine, especially at night. Sleeping with the windows open is such a treat, the sounds of the woods coming in on a gentle breeze. It makes me deliriously happy, not to mention, we sleep like babies. We wake up whenever the aroma of coffee stirs us, and enjoy our view as we slowly come to life.
Fall is much more imminent here. There is a hint of color in the trees, just enough to remind us that in a few short weeks it will be breathtakingly beautiful in our little valley. It is, quite literally, my favorite time in the mountains. The light is changing daily, taking on a softer hue that rubs the summer edge off of everything it touches. It’s a perfect time for porch sitting…..and napping. Which is another perk of the place. The naps are delicious, long, and invigorating.
Hubby went home this morning, but I’m staying a few more days. Don’t tell him, but a couple of days TOTALLY alone will be heaven. Sometimes I just need to recharge my batteries without having to plan a meal or make conversation. When I’m alone up here I can turn off sports TV and put on my relaxation music, a spa-like sound with no words. (Billy thinks it’s totally weird.) But even though I’ll be relaxing just a bit longer, I have a to-do list. When you own two homes, which sounds awfully pretentious, it’s easy to let things slip here and there. This house needs some attention. We always have company up here in October and I need to get ready for that….stock up on some things, pull out some Fall decor, make sure sheets and towels are fresh, maybe cook up some pumpkin bread for the freezer. Just piddle around a bit.
So I’ll make a trip down to town afterwhile for some shopping. I’ll stop at the produce stand and find some pumpkins for the porch and maybe some corn stalks, buy some fresh picked apples. I will do this slowly and leisurely, because when I return home on Wednesday life will kick straight back into fast forward. It will still be hot (grrrrrr) and crunchy. Normal life demands will take over. But I’ll be refreshed and uncranky and ready to pick up where I left off. I’ll be happy to see my hubby and maybe even to cook. But right this very minute……I’ll gaze at the mountainside a tiny bit longer, I’ll breath the fresh air, and I’ll listen to my weird music…..alone. Bliss!
“My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14
The Little Woods 