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One of the reasons I heart fall is that I get a burst of inspiration as soon as the weather shifts.   A sense of anticipation builds in my entire spirit, when the mornings become crisp and everything planted in the ground fades into various shades of burnt orange, bright red, and stunning yellow.  Paying no mind to the winter approaching, or perhaps in preparation, I usually get a lot done in the fall. 

I think it has something to do with years of formal schooling.   As a younger me, September/October meant new school years, new friends, new faces, and frequently a new school (I think I attended 5, in 5 different towns over the course of about 12 years).  My mind & body associate the seasonal shift with a heightened awareness, and this has not changed despite being out of school for some years. With the arrival of 2013's fall, I have jumped into a handful of new projects.  Some have a defined end-point, some are hands-on.  Others are more long-term, still floating in the ether, yet germinate or begin to put down roots.  Others aren't my projects at all, but things I am excited about and hoping to become a part of.  Here's what's on the immediate list:

• hiking solo! I solo-hiked Storm King Mountain two weekends ago.  Really made me want to explore more of the local spots along the Hudson.  I find it refreshing to climb around in the wilderness by myself.  Other than swimming, it's the best way to clear my head and make room for new ideas.

• reupholtsering stuff!  my desk chair at home was suffering from crappy faux-leather falling-apart syndrome.  I purchased several yards of funky fabric on clearance from ikea.  Having borrowed a staple gun from work, I am in the midst of having a newly upholstered desk chair!

• kombucha brewing & scoby-sharing workshop!  I brew kombucha on the regular, and my scoby (or mother, as it is also called) has gotten huge!  Me thinks it's time to have a little workshop, teaching the how-to of brewing effervescent, fermented tea AND sharing this mother with other folks.  I haven't decided yet if this will take place at home, at the Farm, or in some kind of freeschool setting, like the Brooklyn Brainery.  I welcome your ideas, esp. if you want to learn how to make kombucha.

• seed starting! I suppose it's entirely the wrong season, but my apartment windows are south-facing, and my kitchen is in need of fresh herbs.  With the help of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden one-page seed starting guide,  I planted borage, several types of basil, cilantro, and some flowers seeds in an egg carton.  They are growing into lovely seedlings and have been transplanted into window boxes already!

• Greg & Maina bought a house in Detroit!  I am so happy for my friends.  The structure, surrounding land and neighborhood are incredible, and it's really exciting to see something years in the making take off.  I was last in the company of G & M in October 2011.  We joked then about sticking around in Detroit before we made our way to Chicago, and then eventually parted ways.  I look forward to rejoining them soon for a visit to the Motor City, and to assist them in diving into this exciting new venture.

This is what's on the map for now, outside of working at the Farm, and my other new found interest--running!  Who knew this fish had legs?!?  I've been doing more regular 5-miles jogs and am building an endurance I never thought possible.  Stop me if I start talking crazy about marathons or anything involving real distance.  My joints are likely not fit for such things.  More soon...love, A.