With the exception of food, I do most of my shopping online. I don’t particularly enjoy going to stores and am very fussy about my grocery stores as well!

During the heat of the summer, I shopped early morning at my favorite grocery which also has morning shade parking AND a spot to get Bear in and out of the Jeep without taking the ramp.

One of the challenges this past summer, was that I cannot leave Bear home alone. He occasionally gets “stuck” and cannot get up without help. He is fine in the Jeep, LOVES to go in the Jeep and the only difficulty is when it is too hot to leave him in the Jeep which was most of the summer after 8:30-9:00 a.m.

We managed fine. And I don’t know if I’d done anything differently if on my own as it was tiring to go out and about in heat and smoke.

But now – we are free :) !!! With the very cool temperatures we were able to do several things Saturday morning without worry for either of us. And I even went to places not in my plan. AND, I was not in a race against the clock/sun/heat. It was rather nice.

I dropped off a leather bag that needed repair.

I made a quick stop at the grocery with a very short list, but I browsed the aisles to check any sales and just look.

I came home with pumpkin and squash from Lower Valley Farm as well as some fall cabbage from a different farm at the market. I walked the market and dawdled a bit looking at things and enjoying watching and listening to other shoppers.

I was on a hunt for some wine glasses having broken my last. After a fruitless stop at a department store, I hit an antique/consignment shop…

Ha… 4 etched crystal wine glasses for $28.00 – that is $28.00 for all 4!!! And everyone in the shop was pleasant and happy and it was a wonderful wrap up to the most relaxed outing Bear and I have had since Spring.

Another “YEA” for Fall.

Late summer vegetables…

… every week – wonderful food grown locally!

Three hours of gentle rain on the 24th.

And then some cool, refreshing days.

Mornings getting darker.

We’ve had heat and smoke more than cool.

It has been exhausting.

End of August.

It is still hot, although upper 80’s, NOT 90’s thankfully!

It is very smoky.

My 3 air conditioners and 2 fans run for 20 hours out of 24. (***Note: I am extremely thankful that I have the A/Cs and fans AND that I can pay the electric bill – It wasn’t as bad as I feared for July!)

BUT.

I realized this morning, that although I will certainly be glad when it gets cooler and the air clears and fire danger lessens … we are in a routine that works for Bear, Auggie and me. When I shut off the air conditioners and fans and open the windows, we enjoy the quiet and the cool morning. We go outside. We try to get 3 or sometimes 4 walks in before the sun gets high enough to heat things up. I do any cooking or baking with the windows open.

Once it warms, the house gets closed up, the air conditioners and fans are back on – I go to work, Bear and Auggie mostly nap.

Late afternoon, as I am fading a bit, Bear gets up. We do a very quick outing to the edge of the woods and then back in the cool house for a treat. A little play time as I fix supper and by the time we’ve all eaten it is starting to cool enough for a slow walk in the woods.

We take a longer walk about 8:00 when it is even cooler and many times there is a light breeze.

Back in the house, a final treat all around and we settle in for sleep.

It is a slower routine in the heat and smoke.

While it is most definitely not my favorite season, I am able to enjoy this summer pace. We are comfortable – mostly :) ! The fresh produce from local growers is at its peak and I am loving every bite of the local bounty.

It is nearly mid-August. Fall is on the horizon. But every day is a gift of time with Bear and Auggie and I am grateful for this time.