Raindrops on dahlias and nuzzling my horses
Leaves that go crackle and new on-line courses,
Wearing yummy old sweaters and starting to sing
These are a few of my favorite things….
Music aside, winter’s coming – a good time to take stock of a few things I love:
Steal Like an Artist – One snappy little book that makes you feel more creative just looking at it.
I discovered it a couple of years ago and loved the combination of graphic design, creativity-enhancing ideas, and quirky inspiration from Austin Kleon. It pleases me so much I just bought his Steal Like an Artist Journal.
Fall rain – After a summer of severe drought, I’m loving the rain – even though, after a month of Seattle drizzle, I might re-consider.
Green Eileen – My favorite store in the world. I’m a glutton for Eileen Fisher clothes – but one jacket can wipe out my clothes budget for six months. At the Green Eileen store, I can buy slightly used Eileen Fisher clothes that other women have donated. The store then shares its profits with women’s charities. The best business model ever!
(Note: Standing in line with a jillion other women and a few hardy men for a recent Green Eileen sale, the truth sank in: we really are a cult.)
And There Was Light – One of my favorite books of ALL time. I dare you to read it and not be moved. Author Jacques Lusseyran was blind, yet he became a leader in the French Resistance in WWII because he found other ways to “see”. He used his inner vision to evaluate whether potential recruits into the Resistance were trustworthy. I cried my way through his brilliant closing, “The light is in us, even if we have no eyes.”
Bellevue Arts museum – This museum is an oasis in the bustling, congested, skyscrapered city of Bellevue, aka Microsoft-land, across Lake Washington from Seattle. Their unique focus on arts, crafts and design leads to some really exciting exhibits (Ok, they are a client, but no one’s paying me to promote!)
My microphones and improvised sound cage for my podcasting– Yippee. 
Equipment! I’m developing my inner geek.
Smart wool socks – I give thanks to the genius who invented wool that I can throw in the washer. I have a winter’s worth of socks in subdued colors and shades of gray. Maybe not glamorous, but who needs glamour if your feet are freezing (see Seattle rain above).
My podcast – The opportunity to interview really cool guests, and learn so much makes me happy. (By the way, learning the technology that is second nature to millennials keeps you young!) My next goal: to keep improving my interviewing skills. Those hours on sunny fall weekends spent audio-editing each episode felt like a bit of sacrifice – but didn’t I just tell you that I’m developing my inner geek?
Autumn leaves – I’m nuts about the burst of crimson on the Japanese maple (aconitofolium), the orange red of the persimmon, the burnt gold of the coral bark maple. Each day’s a color-fest, even in the rain. Until all the leaves fall.
Quince – What to do with this beautiful un-bite-into-able fruit with a beautiful vanilla-like aroma. This year I’ve made quince paste – membrillo – and chutney. Yum. My one Martha Stewart moment for this year.
Friends – Always. Even when I’ve been so busy as to seem anti-social. (Special nod to anyone who has read a post, signed up for the blog or listened to my podcast or subscribed. Can’t tell you how much that means to me.)
Walks with my husband – Given how we began the summer, with his accident and subsequent surgery, a quiet walk together is a huge pleasure.
And now, over to you – what are your favorite fall things?
