Inspired by Autumn

This list was compiled one day when I was thinking about the flurry of activity that kept me busy, and usually exhausted, over the years. Some of the weariness I brought upon myself. But for the most part, just waking up every day meant a fresh set of demands were screaming for my attention. How easy it is to get so consumed with one day's worth of deadlines! So in spite of the busy lives we all live, these ideas are dedicated to those precious minutes in the day we get to call our own; the moments in our corner of the world when we are in charge of what happens next.

Specific activities have always been associated with the fall season, and many people welcome this time of year as being their favorite. The pace slows down a bit after the rush of squeezing every last ounce of fun into our summer. And without a whole lot of effort, it causes us to create a somewhat different agenda with our time. So, in celebration of autumn, and its exquisite array of beauty, let's engross ourselves in what makes this time of year so rich and rewarding!

Go apple picking and make home made apple sauce

Try cooking an organic dinner. Numerous websites offer scrumptious recipes!

Take a hike when the leaves have reached their peak change of color. Don't forget to bring some trail mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruit!

Go bike riding through the Metro Parks




Stop in a bulk food store and find some new spices to cook with. You'd be intrigued by their history of nutritional value and proven benefits!

Take a one night cooking class


Buy some new tea at a health food store


Chat by the fire (have a fire pit? take it somewhere and hide out in the quiet
of a nearby park or beach!)



Find a new novel, light a candle, get your favorite sweats on, and curl up on the couch

Prop some pillows on your bed and watch a DVD

Check your local museums, craft centers, and community centers for upcoming classes

Enter something in a contest; writing, photography, web page, cooking

Make seasonal centerpieces and decorate tables, shelves and mantles




Place an arrangement of candles on a glass plate or mirror

Volunteer at a local shelter or Salvation Army when the weather turns colder

Tour the chocolate factories and delight in snitching samples the whole way through!

Take a drive down to the Amish cities and treat yourself to some serious sight seeing and shopping!

Take a drive through the country and stop where local farmers are selling their harvest

Teach yourself to knit or crochet

Offer to facilitate a craft class at a near by senior home, day care, or after school care

Buy an origami book filled with colorful pages and simple instructions to fold into fun creations!

Make an omelet you've never tried before using fresh harvested vegetables

Let the aroma of simmering cinnamon sticks fill your kitchen or bathroom

Gather some friends for a hay ride and bon fire

Set up a card table and get lost in a 1,000 piece puzzle

Make your own flower press using particle board. Wildflowers can then be placed inside between two sheets of variegated cardboard. The end result will be gorgeous petals waiting for your arrangement to be framed, maybe alongside a photo or your own calligraphy!

Journal writing - this is a beautiful way to collect your thoughts, hopes, dreams and aspirations!

Make pumpkin lattes!

Autumn reminds us of bounty and abundance. The good things in life. The blessings all around us.

"The eyes of all look to you,

and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing."

Psalm 145:15-16