Today is mostly yellow with a smattering of red, turning into deep wine by late afternoon.  A steady falling of leaves with a call for possible white-flakes on Thursday afternoon and a blast of cold-blue air which will effectively ruin the perfectly coiffed-in-color hues for Autumn 2012.

Done.  In a flash.  Poo.

Seriously?  Everything bloomed early this year.  And we are at least 2 weeks early in the changing leaves and falling, too. This is the part I wish to see last longer.  Wind and wet will cause the branches to be bare too fast.  Yes, I am griping.  But it has been lovely for a short while, yes?

These were taken yesterday.  A warm and lovely fall day in the neighborhood.  Gavin (9), Hunter (8), Guini (7),  and Gemma May (5).

Cold shoulder, cold nose, cold fingers, cold toes.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…a cold front is taking its’ sweet time passing through Colorado.  Some people even got a snow dusting yesterday.  We didn’t see any, but omygoodness: COLD!

The high today isn’t even going to be over 40 degrees, I bet, and the power companies are watching with glee as those heat-meters crank up full steam in this stretch of days before the sun comes back out and rights this ridiculous infringement of a wintry blast on our pretty fall.

But not me.  In spite of Dave’s pleading (he even tried to sway me by telling me our aged dog was freezing), I refuse to turn on the heat.   I am fully aware  that it is fifty.eight.freezing-degrees in here.  Yes, that is right – IN our house – 58-degrees!  But there are other ways to get through these days.  I am resolved!

Here is how not to turn on the heat when it’s freezing in Denver:

{1}

Wear more clothes even in the house.  Seems simple enough, but us Denver-ites never-ever pack away our shorts and flip-flops: NEVER.  We will likely need them on Christmas eve because it will be so dang hot.  But for the next 3 or 4 days, wear socks with shoes and layer up and put on a hat.  Yes, in your house.  It will keep you warm.

You can see I truly do practice these suggestions.  Demonstrated here by a photo of Gemma May and Averi-J last January.  “Yea, we’re just hanging at Nonna’s, freezing our little buns off, doing some artwork.”

{2}

Make yourself a rice sock.  What?!  Haven’t discovered the beauty of a rice-sock?  Well, I think Jovan taught me about them, but it is simply this: you take the longest tube sock you can fine, fill it about 75% full of good-old-white rice.  Secure the end tightly with a rubber band or ponytail holder (warning:: Do NOT use a twistt-tie with a metal center to close the sock…don’t ask me how I know).  Then you pop it in the microwave for a couple of minutes and and this wonderful, hot, flexible rice-filled sock gets wrapped around your neck and heats you up.  It is wondrous.  I would have forgotten this amazing thing if it had not been for a pulled muscle in my neck.  How serendipitous for me that the strained muscle coincided with this current cold-front.  Dave and I were watching Judge Judy the other night and he was like, “It’s freezing – do you think we should turn on the heat?”

“If you tell the truth you don’t have to have a good memory!!!!!!!”

That was Judge Judy’s voice, not mine.  My response was, with the 2 blankets, a hoodie and my rice-sock, “Honey, it feels perfectly toasty in here.  Why would we want to jump the gun and turn on the heat?”

NOTE:  On heating the rice sock in the micro, repeat as needed.

{3}

Toast for dinner.  Put in your bread and crowd around the toaster soaking up the rising, excess heat.  Eat lots of bread.

WARNING:  those of you with that gluten thing should not try this without your doctor’s permission.

{4}

And on kitchen activities, suddenly become Julia Child or Jamie Oliver or the Barefoot Contessa (who has the sense to be wearing shoes today, btw) and start baking and cooking your head off just for the love of being a gourmet.  You can pretend you always spend your Saturdays making a months’ worth of freezer meals because you love your family so much, and just happen to keep warm while you’re at it!

{5}

Use some one else’s heat.  Time to visit a neighbor or relative, one of those poor saps that couldn’t hold out and already turned on their heat.  They’re paying an arm and a leg for it so you may as well use it!

{6}

Afternoon Delight.  “Rubbin’ sticks -n- stones together makes the sparks ignite.”  I realize you kind of have to be from the 70s to understand this life-saving tip, but suffice it to say that cuddling = warmth.  That is enough about that.

{7}

Convert to Catholicism and spend the day in prayer at your altar of candles.  I won’t  turn on the heat, but Dave did haul in some of those candles he bought at Target for 38-cents 2 years ago.  Nabbed about 30 of them and I may have shook my head at him then, but look who is the hero now!  We’re just praying our heads off and toasty!

Those are my tips for going as long as possible without turning on your furnace.

Oh wait – Sandy-the-Dog says I missed the most obvious of all: cuddle with the family pet.  Naturally.

“Just before the death of flowers,

And before they are buried in snow,

There comes a festival season

When nature is all aglow.” – Unknown

Easier to read:  autumnal equinox, fall, season, October, chilly mornings, leaves, vivid colors, brown, gold, yellow, red, orange, golden, smoke, bonfire, burning leaves, crunching, jumping, tossing, raking, leaf pile, path, trail, meander, overgrown gardens, reap, cobwebs, gourds, woods, snowy mountains, orchard, tree, maple, oak, branches, corn maze, cornstalks, candy corn, Indian corn, Indian summer, squirrel, chipmunk, foraging sparrows, football, World Series, brisk, chilly, cold, icy, frost, breath, pumpkin patch, hay, bale, falling leaves, pumpkin carving, nuts, cinnamon, pumpkins, apples, spicy, savory, cider, hot cocoa, coffee, soup, stew, chili, scarves, sweaters, jackets, fire, warm, roaring, crackling, inviting, cozy, crisp, blustery, welcoming, sights, sounds, smells, blowing out the sprinkler system, putting the pool away, deep blue sky, clouds, rain, wind, storm, breeze, flannel, denim, corduroy, wool, fleece, Harvest moon, moonglow, moondance, plaid.

I love words.

October?  Like always, is orange (which I have mentioned before HERE and HERE)

Today, for the first time really, there is no doubt we are facing autumn and total weather changing for the season.  That breeze that blew through yesterday – we went from 82 to 55 in 2 hours!  I see a possible snow-shower for Saturday on the forecast.  Like clockwork.

…I have been younger in October

than in all the months of spring…

naked air late morning

my love is for lightness…

– W. S. Merwin, The Love of October

I have simply been the most neglectful gardener this year, so I will let what happens, happen.  Anything that survives this brief cold front, bravo.  Anything that doesn’t, fare-thee-well.  The fridge is already full of bounty and I am ready to embrace this next season.

October, please have mercy…