Summer's End
the transition of seasons; reflections of the summer and settling in
The summer just flew by and incredibly I found myself, writing less! Normally, the inspiration to write is overwhelming during the warm lazy days of summer; what with the garden blooming and holidays with friends and family. Instead, this year included a great deal of change, so I decided to percolate on it and relish the transformations we had gone through before I would dig into writing again.
At the beginning of the year during the first full moon, I wrote intentions for the first half of the year, that I hoped to manifest. I had not done this particular exercise before, but it was a new year, after two years of upset with B’s and my mom’s both passing and I went for it, to reset my mindset. When I opened those goals amid July’s full moon, I found that I had achieved several of them, most importantly the one regarding our business of 23 years.
I discussed life phases in the Concept of Half-X, and ultimately this summer saw an incredible turning point for us. After two crazy experiences over the last four years (we can almost laugh at the idiocy now), The third time was a charm! We have spent much of the summer transitioning to employees rather than business owners. Truly, for our clients and patients, nothing has changed. The business overall has more support, and it has created a broader scope for my job as a Hospital Manager, which I AM LOVING! It is a relief, especially for B, to have a four-year exit strategy; which makes for less stress and has created more space for finding fulfillment from working.
In my spare time from work, I tackled my first wallpapering projects in the house (it’s amazing what a difference a few changes in a room can make!) We celebrated birthdays with friends, Racine’s epic Fourth of July events, attended Summerfest, and made our annual pilgrimage to the Bristol Renaissance Faire. We then had our annual family vacation in mid-August, the first without my mom, and though an emotional trip it was full of family time and activities. Lots of good food, games, wineries, fishing, and rounds of Mahjong for dad and me.
Since returning home, the morning air has been tinged with the crispness of fall and the first blush of color is hitting the trees. My favorite season is creeping in as the wheel of the year turns toward the equinox (Mabon). I feel a settling come over me with the deep breath that fall provides for me. I relish the harvest season ahead.
I plan to spend time outdoors shuffling through and collecting leaves, flowers, and herbs for drying, preparing hearty meals in the kitchen, and reconnecting with friends who have also been busy throughout the summer months with activities of their own. This season of throwing the windows open, cleaning the house, and preparing the farm for the dormant months is a perfect cap to the transition of our work life. Starting fresh and tucking in. Do you feel a settling in when approaching the fall months? How do you mark the change in seasons in your home? Please share in the comments, I’d love to hear!
Until Next Time,
Part of Sparkle on Substacks 24 Essays club