temporary goodbye

I'm going to place this blog on hold for a while.  Not because I don't love it--in fact, I've enjoyed the last couple months of posting more than I thought I would, and it's been easier to come up with ideas than I thought it would be.  It seems bittersweet to announce a hiatus right at the milestone of my 50th blog post, but I made a promise to complete another project for a friend, and in the interest of fulfilling my promise I need to focus solely on that for the next season.

I will be back.  And you know that after some time away I will have stored up plenty of things to share with you!  Let's end for now with a few of the many things that make me happy.

This season is one of them.  Autumn is so vibrant and rich--its scents, its colors, its flavors, everything!  From the crimson leaves of maple trees to the scent of wood smoke and the tummy-warming deliciousness of cider, what's not to love about fall?

Another element of nature that will never get old for me: a burbling stream.   I find moving water soothing.  A roaring dam spillover or high river is not my idea of a relaxing spot, but a little creek like this is just the thing.  Do you see the grackle?

Before the weeds grew too tall this spring, I took the kiddos down to the water a few times.  You can see I'm not the only one who enjoyed it.  (That's grass stuck to his face in case you wonder.  Given how difficult it is to get a perfect photo of a child--sans boogers, blinking, or blur--I learned to embrace imperfection.  It tells the story.)

When I'm indoors, which I'm about to be for months and months as winter descends, there's one more thing I enjoy to no end, and that's progress!  Want to see what I mean?  Here's what our home looked like in 2009:

My husband recently remarked that something I had done in our new apartment looked "country," but I'll have to show him the old photo above to remind him we've come a long way, baby.  Here's a shot from this month:

There's more to do, and I'm looking forward to it.  I'll try to remember to show another then-and-now comparison in one of my first posts when I return.

One more cheery item as we wrap up.  Ever see the movie Sound of Music?  You know how in "Favorite Things," the song Maria sings to cheer up the kids, she mentions "brown paper packages tied up with strings?"  I thought of that last year at Christmas and decided it wasn't a bad idea.  The Christmas season can get so frenetic--sales, crowds, music, finger food, flashing lights, many-patterned wrappings--talk about sensory overload!  To tone things down, I gave all my gifts parcel-style--simple and homely, but easy to personalize with a pretty ribbon.  People loved it, even the people whose packages were literally tied up with string (twine).  Go figure.

I know it's early, but we are entering the holiday stretch, so I wish you all a season of joy and contentment.  I hope you find ways to make your home more of a haven, both for yourself and for others.  If you need ideas, you know Young House Love is my go-to inspiration, so check them out if you haven't yet.  If you're an apartment dweller like me, I also recommend the hip and practical Apartment Therapy site.  Should you ever be tempted toward discouragement as you browse photos of others' gorgeous spaces, put things in perspective with a visit to Tiny House Blog.  You have more space than you know what to do with, I promise!  As you explore the blogosphere, please comment on this post to share links to any treasures you unearth--I'm always seeking new inspiration.

Thanks for reading, and for understanding why I have to take a break for now.  I look forward to sharing more with you in the future!