Creeping Toward The Holidays

It's been very fall-like here. Even though the daytime temperatures are still pretty warm, it's been overcast and breezy. The leaves are blowing down the street and piling up against the fence. When the dogs were pups they loved to chase the leaves, but now they barely glance at them.

One thing I like about fall is that my urge to cook and bake comes back. It hides all summer when it's too hot to bother. Last week the house smelled of apples, today I baked a loaf of bread with Italian seasoning. The house smells like yeast and spices and is very pleasant. The smells are driving the dogs crazy, though. They act as if they're starving all the time and try to push feeding time up by an hour or more.

I know winter and the holidays are on the way. My faithful old (35 year old) Christmas cactus is in bloom. The back of the plant is entirely in flower and the front has lots of buds that'll open in a week or two. If she follows her usual run, she'll continue flowering till May. Then from May till October or November she's just an ugly old plant near the window.

It looks like the turkey will defrost in time to cook it on Thursday and the dogs have been promised a big pot of turkey soup. Tomorrow I may do some more baking. Doesn't a house with fresh baked goods smell wonderful?