Today was a perfect October day. I'm glad that I waited to write about it till now. I had things planned, but they feel through. In a good way though. It was the perfect kind of day where there were no pressures. No demands on my time. Nothing to do but follow where the October winds blew me.
I got to sleep in late. I woke up to golden sunshine poking my eyelids and I had about a 10 minute window in which to laze. Then, my neighbor and his friend showed up and asked if I wanted to come and see them split wood. I said sure, and was off like a shot. I spent a good hour across the street in perfect autumn sunshine watching them split wood with a machine. It was fascinating. Really, it was. The ease of which the machine turned those logs into manageable chunks was nothing short of magical. And then came the best part. I got asked if I wanted to try my hand at chopping wood.
I had been watching as my neighbor swung the axe and used the splitter before loading the machine. The morning air was so still and quiet, and the clang of metal on metal reverberated around the hilltop. It had a clear ring to it that went out and came back like a sound boomerang. And then it was my turn to make that noise. It didn't have the same clear, high note that his had, but it did make a satisfying CLANG.
I was not the best person ever to wield an axe, but I was fairly competent. I hit the wood every time and I still have all 10 fingers and toes. There was something deeply satisfying about the swing and chop. Feeling and seeing the wood give and hearing that woody crunch and split. I can still hear it all these hours later. It was so much fun. I have decided that I might not make the worst pioneer ever. I may have lasted more than a day after all.
Chopping wood in the cool, clear autumn day with the sun at my back was wonderful. But it was not my only high point. I found a Headless Horseman figurine online and it came today. I need two C batteries to make it complete, but it looks spectacular even without the glowing red eyes and sound effects. Later in the day, the FedEx carrier brought me an even better surprise. I finally found the Frute Brute and Yummy Mummy cereals. I had to look online (again) but I found them and claimed them. Today Frute Brute arrived. I hugged the box and did a little dance with it. I showed it to the puppy, but the Brute was sufficiently scary enough that the puppster ran away. Poor guy. That did not deter me from howling though.
But by far the best part of my day was the evening. The weather was perfect. Crisp and cold with no wind. I got to build a fire outside in our fire pit and it was wonderful. I got to roast marshmallows underneath the full moon. I missed the eclipse, but who cares. I got to toast my toes against the metal grate and listen to the sounds of the football games drifting up from the valley. I got to watch a gauzy haze creep out of the riverbeds and up into the fields. I got to watch a vampire show while sitting outside, under a full moon with firelight. Really, does it get any better?
I want to take that moment and put it in a bottle to savor many moons and Octobers from now.
As my day winds to a close, I sit here with the firelight still playing across my screen. My sweatshirt smells like wood smoke and I think I may just fall asleep in it. Not a bad day at all. Have I mentioned that I love October ;)
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