Summers end... time to nest

Saying goodbye to summer...

As summers end starts to tease us and cooler temperatures creep into our days I get so excited!  I say that I'm truly a four seasons type of girl.  I crave the start of each season, longing to enjoy all the benefits and new experiences it can bring.  But sure enough, before its end I'm ready for it to be over and the next one to begin.

With fall on the horizon my thoughts move toward  nesting or prepping for the colder, darker months ahead.  In the "old days" this was a time for people to gather in the last food from the harvest, chop enough wood to cook and heat with, and address any clothing needs they might have for the winter.  To top it off they also had to figure out a way to store and ration the food so it would see them through till spring. And we think we have it hard living from payday to payday!  We need to get a grip.  I think as modern humans we still have this instinct to do these things.  Sure some of us have moved from chopping wood for heat to using gas or electric, and no, we don't knit our family's winter sweaters or socks anymore but we do prepare.  We change the filters in our heating units and have them serviced if needed, we have our cars and winter equipment winterized and batteries checked, we drain the gas from our lawn equipment, and we swap the skimpy clothes in the closet for the warmer, bulkier ones.  We also prepare our homes to receive us for the winter.

I usually begin as soon as the temp cools and we start getting the cool fall breeze.  I open the entire house and air it out.  To me the house is filled with stale, humid, sweaty air from the summer and I want it gone.  I want the house filled with fresh cool air from the fall winds.  During this time of the year the air has energy in it like no other time.  Its what prompts us to get busy!

Here are a few of the homesteading things I do.

• Open the house to air out
• Wash the drapes, summer bedding, pillows
• Get the heavy quilts and blankets from the attic, I washed them before storing for the summer so all they need is a good airing out on the clothes line
• Change the clothes in our closets and drawers
• Put our wind breakers and heavy coats in the coat closet, trade our flip flops and sandals for tennis shoes and boots
• General deep cleaning of the entire house
• Put out the fall decor (this is one of my favorite things on the list, the deep cleaning not so much so!)   
• I begin to think and plan for all the warm, comforting, filling foods I'm going to make for my family

What do you do to prepare?  I would love to hear from you!  Maybe you could share something from your life that would make all of our lives just a little richer!