Back to normal

For the last 2 years we have been building a dream here in Georgetown Texas.  In October 2013 we started looking for land to purchase to build a dream home, or as we like to call it the house we will die in.  We found 5 acres in a little quiet neighborhood with lots of trees, 3 miles from an Army Corp of Engineers lake, and no HOA.  The schools are great, Target and HEB are just up the road, and it is peaceful (except for Sun City construction).  Shawn built much of this house with his own hands and we couldn't be prouder of how it has turned out.  A place to entertain friends and family, sit on the porch and watch birds and deer, and everything just the way we want it.  It was a big sacrifice having him here working on the house every evening and weekend.  That Easter trip to Mineral Wells was the last time we have camped as a family.  But now my inbox is full of confirmation emails from Texas Parks and Wildlife for camping reservations.  A few of those are for Girl Scouts, but we have our first trip planned October 23-25 and I can't wait.  We have had our usual adventures in Florida over the summer, including a few dolphin cruises.  But we have missed the Texas outdoors terribly.  Today I went for a walk on the Brushy Creek Trail, one of my most favorite places to walk, and took a few pictures and thought deep thoughts.

When I was a kid, we would go to my Grandparent's house to go swimming in the summer.  We would come in the morning and swim all day till the afternoon Florida thunder began.  My sister and I would drag ourselves out to dry off and come inside to wait out the rain.  Their living room had paneling and low ceilings so it was kinda dark.  My Grandpa would be in the recliner watching golf and I would lay down on the carpet and rest.  The feeling of coming into the air conditioning and dim light is the same feeling I get when Fall begins.  Summers here are hot and very dry.  By the end of September the nights have slowly started to cool off, but the days have stayed dry and hot.  It is changing soon, I can feel it.  The temperature today was in the upper 80's.  Soon the land will collectively sigh and settle into the cooler temperature and wetter weather.  The creek that is trickling along at a muddy crawl will soon have more water from the cold front rains.  Not the angry torrential rains we had in spring and early summer, but the calmer kind.  The dusty cracked earth will turn muddier and be covered in the leaves of our deciduous trees.  The Hackberry is already showing the tiniest tinge of yellow in its leaves.  The summer birds are on their way out, the scissor tails and the tanagers.  Daylight savings is not for another month, but already dark comes a little sooner.  The grasses are dry and make a sound like rain when they are rustled by the wind.  Seed pods drops and the only flowers on the trail were a few sprigs of rock daisies and shy morning glories hiding under grasses.  The fawns have lost most of their spots.  You can feel the change of seasons coming and it is so welcome after a long summer of relentless sunshine.  While the earth prepares for its winter nap, our family is coming out of hibernation.  Our beach days are done for this year, but this is the start of camping season.  October to May is tent camping season here.  This is the beginning of hiking and biking.  Of fossil and bone hunting and geocaching.  Of camp fires and smores.  Of fishing and tree climbing and bird watching.  Welcome Fall!  We have been patiently waiting for you.