"There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky..." ~Percy Shelley

         Apple pie, cinnamon/vanilla lattes, spiced cider candles, leaves in a wildfire of color, crisp breezes, and warm blankets. Hot cups of coffee and cozy wool knitting projects. What do all these things have in common? They’re a few of my very favorite things about this new season we’re heading into. Although it’s only the first official days of autumn, I’m already preparing for everything that goes along with it. Most of the leaves are still green here in Winona, but they will soon be lit up in oranges, reds, and yellows, coloring the bluffs and riverbanks. The air will get colder making the warmth from a steaming cup of coffee that much more appreciated. I look forward to going to the apple orchard with my family when I make the trip home to Illinois in a few weeks. Edward’s Orchard is a family tradition and the hot apple cider and donuts we get there are beyond compare. In my opinion there’s no better feeling than curling up under a blanket and reading a good book or watching a favorite movie and knitting.
          Speaking of knitting, it has been evident in the amount of visitors we’ve had to the yarn shop that other people are feeling the need to prepare for the colder weather. There are those who don’t like to knit in the summer months and are now picking up their needles for the first time in a while, needing a new project to occupy the increasingly long evenings. The rest of us who never really stop knitting… ever… can turn our attention to the much needed sweaters and mittens that, not long ago, made us sweat just thinking about. Personally, I am excited to wear the few warm garments that I made this past spring. I finally made my first sweater and it’s definitely a warm one. The yarn, shipped out of Japan is made up of wool, silk, and mohair. It was a bit of a splurge on my part, the yarn being a tad expensive, but was well worth it. It was very fun to make even though I knew I had to wait a few months to wear it. Now the time has come and I’m so excited!
           I also have a softer than soft poncho that I was cajoled into making by a good friend and coworker at the shop. Karina has made several of these herringbone ponchos and swore that I just HAD to have one too. She has since left for her first year of college down in Kansas and I promised her at the start of the year that I would make a poncho before she left Winona. Knit out of baby alpaca and merino wool, this thing will keep me warm all winter long. It’s incredible how soft it is and will be perfect to snuggle up in when the snow starts to fly. I’m in no rush for that though. Autumn can take as long as it likes to pass.
          I think that it’s only right for me to honor the first day of fall and this deliciously brisk autumn night by brewing myself a cup of tea, settling under my Milwaukee Brewers blanket, and creating something warm as the sun goes down. I'll be happily anticipating the lovely things that come with the change of seasons and appreciating the warmth and comfort that I am blessed to have. There's something about this time of year that makes everything seem a little sweeter. At least that's this Yarnologist's opinion. Happy autumn everyone!