by gillian claire: harvest.

SOCIAL MEDIA

9.15.2014

harvest.

IMG_9606-4 (2)IMG_0143-2
( asher with apples, september 2012  / tree, recent )
.
.
Fall is just around the corner and contrary to popular blogging belief, it's honestly a really hard transition for me. Fall used to be my favorite season and it definitely brings back good memories of years past; hoodie sweatshirts, cool evening football games, walking to the neighborhood Starbucks, holding hands with gloves and cuddling with a boy I hoped to marry. There are still nice things about fall, I suppose. But as the years have passed and I've grown in age and in responsibility, fall has come to mainly mean this: warm weather is over and winter is coming fast.
.
I really, truly do not enjoy winter. It's dark and long and full of dreadful things like toes that never warm up and being stuck in the house with two wild-banshee boys. All roads will turn into black dirty mush , my hair will be wildly static and my hands will be forever dry-heat-air dry. I'll force my feet out of flip flops and into my moccasin boots, prepared to earn their yearly salt stain stripes. As usual, winter isn't going to ask my opinion; it will just proceed to dump it's frozen, miserable feelings on me regardless. 
.
First though, we are getting this short little window of still warm, okay feeling days. I'm trying though failing daily, to find that little bit of peace and joy in the harvest season that is now: an old dreamy photo of my little boy eating an apple; leaning back and finding the beauty in the changing trees right by my house, shopping for warm clothes and finding the absolutely perfect pair of black pants.
.
For me, the season that is here right now, is just another reminder that the good and the bad and the ugly will ebb and flow whether we like it or not. I guess the goal might be to strive to find that bit of plenty to hang onto. So that when times are dark and rough, I can close my eyes and grasp that feeling of lying in the grass on a hot summer day, still smell the leather interior of my dad's convertible, and still see that fair-skinned baby picking up apples one by one in the backyard long after he's grown.
.
I guess I'll just keep moving and living as the world spins me into winter, whether I like it or not. I'll keep trying hard to gather my harvest little by little, memory by memory, day by day. Winter may freeze things up for a while but it can't take away these good, happy things, always glowing summertime warm in my heart. 
.
<3
.


"Harvest" is the September writing prompt of The Mommy Blogger Collective. In addition to a monthly writing prompt, the collective hosts a monthly blogger featurette. This month we are featuring Courteney of The Titled Blog. A few words from Courteney --- Hello! I’m Courteney from “The Titled Blog” I live up in Canada (in Abbotsford, British Columbia - just East of Vancouver) with my husband, one year old daughter Lucy, a pug named Minnie and an angry flame point siamese cat named Bigsby. My blog has evolved over the last 7 years from random rants and social commentary to lifestyle and now most recently to being a mom. My daughter was born with a lot of health problems and I often write about the challenges that have come with having a baby that has spent a good chunk of her first year in and out of the hospital and how to deal with those challenges head on. When I’m not blogging, I work as a photographer with my own business (Courteney Rodda Photography) sing in my jazz band “Courteney Rodda and the Other Guys” and most recently I am sewing for an awesome local company making baby moccasins called “Minimoc” You can also find me on Instagram, where I post too many pictures of my daughter, dog and cat. /// The Mommy Blogger Collective /// Christina, Courteney, Dena, Erica, Erin, Gillian, Katie, Misty, Nicole, and Renée. ///

18 comments :

  1. I don't like winter either, but I do love autumn. It's like the calm before the storm haha

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The calm before the storm is a great way to describe it!

      Delete
  2. I hate winter, but this will be my first "real" one (since I've never lived anywhere where it snows) so I have mixed feeling about it this year. I'm excited to see the changes that Autumn brings (I've never experienced one of those either) but I really don't know how I'll handle the cold weather!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I should probably live somewhere with warm weather! I always forget that some people don't have to experience these awful cold months! I'm interested to hear how you end up feelings about your first real winter!

      Delete
  3. I love the top photo, so darling. I remember those long winters in Colorado, don't miss those! One of the many wonders of California living...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeahhh I'm pretty sure I might need to consider California one of these days! I'm hoping for a mild Colorado winter this year! ;)

      Delete
  4. this is very well-written, gillian. i appreciate your honest sentiments (even i though mine differwhen it comes to the fall season) and i like how despite your aversion to the colder weather, you're making the best of the time now to "harvest" all these great memories and images. xo

    ReplyDelete
  5. I enjoy winter in FL because it is the only time it isn't miserable outside! I wish we had a fall though. Fall from now until New Year and then a florida winter for like 5 months followed by a nice summer! So who do I talk to about altering the weather?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Um, I TOTALLY agree! That sounds perfect! There has to be a place out there with the perfect weather catered to my tastes ... I just need to find it. ;)

      Delete
  6. Can I just say Ditto to this ENTIRE post? Don't worry friend, we'll get each other through yet another rough winter!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's good to know that I'm not the only one who doesn't get all cheerful about cold weather coming! <3 <3

      Delete
  7. The first photo is gorgeous, such a sweetheart!x

    All white

    ReplyDelete
  8. The picture of Asher with the apples is perfect. Also, hands up for the perfect pair of black pants!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Ashlie! And yeah finding good pants is definitely a victory! ;)

      Delete
  9. This is so beautifully written, and yes- true even in some very real ways. I know when winter comes it's the sun in my windows I miss the most- it can feel so harsh and sad and lonely when the world is overcast and cold. I try to look on the good in every season even when it's harder to find! Here in the South US, the cold is so welcome after a brutal summer. It's the summer I dread- the unforgiving sun and sweat in every crease. The in between months- the transitions- they are always such a relief and never last long enough for my tastes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Sarah for reading and sharing your thoughts!! The lonely harsh months of winter definitely reflect some realities in my life right now. Just keep reminding myself that summer will come again. :)

      Delete

Please comment, I'd love to hear from you!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...