Seriously...

I spent 4.49 on a 4lb bag of apples yesterday. Seriously. We're not talking about exotic, imported, out-of-season fruit here - these apples are in season and locally grown. I swear that the last time I was paying attention, these apples couldn't have been more than 2.99 - and I'm pretty sure they were 5lb bags (or maybe that's potatoes?). I've been finding myself paying attention to the price of food in a way that I never have before. Like 2.99 for a loaf of bread. Seriously. Never mind being gauged at the gas pump - it's happening at the grocery store - big time. Not only is everything more expensive, but package quantities are shrinking too. Spend more, get less. We had planned to go apple picking last weekend but the weather was lousy and we were busy with hockey and soccer. I think we'll try to go this weekend... and I'm going to blow the dust off of my breadmaker. Seriously.

Avalon Orchard - October 2007

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First Snow

Forget what I said yesterday about the snow not lasting. The day got progressively colder and by late afternoon the kids were making the first snowman of the season. It was by far the dirtiest snowman ever - more grass, dirt and leaves than snow - but a snowman nonetheless.

An interesting note while we're experiencing the first snowfall of the season - temperatures reached a high of 24°C on this same day a year ago!

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You have GOT to be kidding...

It is SNOWING outside. OK, so it's melting as soon as it hits the ground but c'mon... SNOW? Did I mention we were swimming last week? Of course, this was cause for near panic when we scrambled to find gloves and hats before heading off to school. We go through it every year. At the end of last winter, I made sure to wash and store all the winter gear so it would be ready when the cold weather returned but if you've ever seen my basement, you'd understand why they weren't out in plain sight at eight thirty this morning.

I remember being in a state of shock when we had an early snowfall last year. I had the presence of mind to take some pictures and this one is still one of my favourites.

Here's hoping this won't last. With Halloween just over a week away, I'd like for the milder weather to come back for just a little longer.

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Fall Leaves

Yesterday was a great day for enjoying what's left of the fall colours. They were at their peak about a week ago but I still managed to get a few nice shots. Check my Flickr page to see more colourful leaf pics.

Sunnidale Park, October 2008

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Thoughts on Fall

Fall leaves, Mactier, Ontario, 2003

It's official, we closed the pool yesterday which means it won't be long before we're shoveling the driveway. We're well into fall, and probably one of the last in the neighbourhood to put an end to our swimming season. While admiring the fall colours, I found myself reflecting on another summer gone by, full of moments that hopefully memory will serve well. It would be nice to have a mental rolodex to flip through when I'm old but the reality is, most of the moments we expect to cherish someday eventually fade from memory. Although I haven't scrapbooked in a very long time, I think that's what scrapbooking is all about - so we can look back years later and think "Look, we were always smiling! It was always sunny! That was such a wonderful trip!"

So here we are - admiring the beauty of autumn and knowing that summer, as usual, went by way too fast.

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