Hodgepodging Fall and Good Fences

 Coming soon to a ditch near you

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we write the answers.

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Thank you, Joyce!!

Note: Please excuse the poor formatting of this post. I need to have my daughter look to see why I'm having trouble with it on every single post.

1. Thursday (September 22) is the first official day of autumn in this part of the world...how will you welcome the season? I know some of you have been celebrating way too early, but it's official now so permission granted. House Beautiful recently listed ten ways to make your home smell like fall (you can read the list here) What's a scent you love this time of year and how will you add it to your home? 

I will welcome fall by enjoying every sunrise and eating lunch on the porch as often as possible. 

 Late September Sunrise

I love the scent of pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and apple - They're always added to my home when I make a batch of Pumpkin Spice, Cinnamon Stick, or Frosted Apple Spice natural vegan soap! See photo at end of post. (Thanks, Joyce.) ;-)

2. Apple pie or pumpkin pie? Apple cake or pumpkin bread? Warm apple cider or a pumpkin spice latte?

I love pumpkin pie, but it always gives me heartburn. I love apple pie too, but really only like those two if they're made the way my mom made them. (I know, picky picky :-) Pumpkin bread with pecans or walnuts rather than apple cake...warm apple cider rather than pumpkin spice latte...are my favorites from the question above.

 Apple Pie Bars

Would not help avoid an afternoon slump. 

In fact, would pretty much ensure one.

3. Do you suffer from what is sometimes referred to as an afternoon slump? What helps ward it off before it hits and/or tell us what helps you shake it off once it's here?

An 'afternoon slump' would imply that I have energy and ambition before afternoon, wouldn't it. I actually do have quite a bit of energy and no longer ever have an afternoon slump. It all changed once I made sure I had at least 20 g. of protein with my lunch. Man (or woman) cannot live on carbs alone. It seemed to take me a while (like years) to learn that.

4. Ladies-how have your friendships with women inspired you or made you a better person? For the men here today- how have your friendships with men inspired you or made you a better person?

I think that women have possibly inspired me to be more creative, but the only relationships that might have helped me become a better person are those that encourage me to focus more on Jesus, to care about others, to live a life of faith, prayer, gratitude.

5. Are you a people pleaser? If you said yes, do you think that's a good or bad thing? If you said no, do you wish you were more of a people pleaser? 

I like people and like to have fun with people, but I'm not going to compromise what I believe is right, nor will I flatter, just to please someone else. If it has nothing to do with compromise or flattery, both of which seem dishonest, then yes, I think it's wonderful to try to please people, to make people smile, give them a day that's brighter than it might have been, etc. What I see in some people pleasers is the inability to be true to their own convictions. I definitely don't see that as a good thing.

The Carmen Peppers are beautiful this year.

Yea! They're my favorite.

6. The seasons are a-changin'...share a favorite song relating in some way to change (not necessarily seasonal change, it could be change of any kind).

The Four Seasons - Vivaldi (change implied).  Other than that, I can think of nothing. I even looked up to see that one site has 107 songs listed that have some variation of the word 'change' in them. I know none of them.

Hey, I just thought of one:  

"The steadfast love of the Lord never changes; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness O Lord, great is thy faithfulness." 

(based on Lamentations 3). And I guess the word in the song is actually 'ceases,' but I'm going to substitute 'changes.'  And actually, His mercies never do cease, nor do they change. What a reassuring truth. God's mercies never come to an end!

 Sumac and fence on Fifth Avenue

7. What do you wish would never change? 

I wish summer and fall would never change to winter.

 I would never tire of this view from our driveway.

November through March

(I'm already tired of this view from our driveway and it hasn't even come yet this year.)

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 

Remember that toe I was whining about last week? Well, I found out yesterday that it is fractured, so now I have a cane *and* a boot. Quite a fashion statement, huh!

And if that grosses you out, here are much cuter toes to look at:

Lucy and Grandpa

2015

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Also Linking to Theresa's Good Fences

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