A funny thing happened on the way to freedom...

For the last couple of years, I've been waiting for my youngest to start Kindergarten. I just knew that once he was safely (locked away) in a classroom for 6+ hours a day, I would be well on the way to the rest of my life.

Well, a funny thing happened. I actually do some of my best work when the kids are home. I'm so used to the dull roar and sporadic chaos that ensues when they're here, that silence is literally deafening and stifling.

Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying the peace and serenity of my week days alone. I spend my days looking for leads, networking and marketing. Daytime is for learning, evening is for writing.

But, it is incredibly weird to discover I need my kids around when I write.

That's all she wrote.

It's been cold here at night. We held off on using the furnace until the very end of October. When we woke up to a 58 degree house, we fired her up.

I walked into the bathroom Saturday night and discovered the window was open. Not a big deal in and of itself, but I realized it was quiet. No crickets chirping, no cicadas screaming, no kid voices drifting on the breeze. It's over, folks. No matter how warm the days are, Summer is gone and Autumn is damn close to climbing on the bus, too.

It was a great run here in Southern Minnesota. A long growing season provided an excellent harvest. We had more than enough produce for our family, and our friends, and our friends' friends...you get the picture. We pulled the last carrots and harvested the herbs a couple weeks ago. The gardens are now covered in a gentle blanket of golden straw, soon to be insulated with snow.

This time of year always finds me torn. I know, that like us, nature needs to rest. A quiet time to breathe and rejuvenate. But, as the days grow shorter and people begin to cocoon in their homes, I feel melancholy and a little lonely.