Caught in the Middle

I had an odd experience this weekend. I walked down the front walk, up the front steps, in the front door. There to my left were 5 smooth, perfect pumpkins . . . waiting to be carved. Mmmm, lovely fall images come to mind at the sight of those pumpkins . . . wickedly glowing jack-o-lanterns, candy corn, the mad bobbing to bring an apple up out of a tub of water, crisp mornings. Fall . . . such a tinglingly delicous season.





I walked through the house and heard a noise in the back yard.

I walked out the back door, across the back deck, down the back deck steps. There in front of me was Youngest Daughter . . . wearing a bathing suit . . . jumping on the trampoline . . . with a sprinkler blasting up from the bottom of the trampoline . . . freezing water wetting her down. The sun up above roasting hot.

(Please excuse the tattered net. Yes, of course there's a story, but now is not the time : ) )

In that moment, all fall images faded away. And I was instead pulled back into the world of popsicles, sunscreen, flip flops and beach towels.

And the house . . . it was caught in the middle fall at the front door, summer out the back.

I love this time of year when for a little while I can drink deeply from the cup of both seasons.

Summer winding down . . . wearing out. Fall gearing up . . . sashaying in.

And for a little while I can have "the best of both worlds."