Yellow trees... purple flowers...

I am an outside nut. Not like food for a squirrel nut, or shaved almonds on a salad. But I am addicted to nature, and to God's creation. I am drawn to a window, to sunshine, and fresh air like mosquitos are to my toes. The ironic thing is after summer, I lived in the A-frame at Grace. There are two bedrooms and I slept in the one that is affectionately called "the dungeon". One morning I woke up and it was so dark I was convinced that it was still 4 am, rolled over and went back to sleep. In actuality it was like 8:30 in the morning and I ended up sleeping in until 10. Oh dear. Similarly, I am back at home in my parent's place and I am staying down in the guest room... in the basement. There are two small windows near the ceiling, covered by curtains. Once again I am trapped by walls and plaster all around me. I miss falling asleep at night with the window open by my head, listening to the crickets and bullfrogs singing me to sleep. I am a sucker for summer time, summer allows you to live outside. You can get up and do your devotions outside in the cool morning air, wrapped in a blanket - as I often did on my porch this summer. Summer offers hot afternoons to be spent at the beach or in the water cooling off. It offers warm evenings, where you can wear sandals and tank tops while singing around the fire. I miss the offerings of summer.

I am not a winter person (you may have guessed that already). What I do love is scarf and slipper season. I don't like cold, but I love the fun ways of keeping cozy and warm. You can never have too many scarves and slippers. I'm stocking up for this winter! Last winter I saved my pennies and bought a big, warm, coat to put on. I am convinced that it is a completely different atmosphere within that coat and it is my survival tool for hellish February.

Enough about the weather... (although weather is a big deal to me)

So I'm living back on Country Club in Holland once again, temporarily until I find a job. And to be honest, I completely expected this to be a difficult transition out of camp and back to the real world. I expected to be so worried about finding a job, and to be, well... more emotional. And I don't doubt that as I continue this unknown phase of life, there will be more difficult days, especially if in 3 weeks I still don't have a job and I have no promise of one. I am sure I will be more discouraged. However, as of right now, I am not worried and am excited to see what job I end up with. I'm excited to move into a new place and begin the next phase of this crazy rollercoaster, patchwork of a life.

Speaking of patchwork, I'm making a patchwork quilt. I enjoy the tedious and slow effort it requires as I handstitch the pieces of fabric together. Similar to my life as I pull over pieces of my previous life and combine them with my current world. I stitch them together and they lie side by side, becoming one, yet always remaining separate.

Today I drove under a canopy of yellow trees and my soul soared and as I rode my bike past a field of purple flowers, my heart beat a little faster...