"October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book."

“Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter.”

As much as I despise the cold, as much as I would choose July over January without hesitation, I have to admit that I love October.

I don’t love the early sunsets or the sharp bite of morning and evening air, but I adore the crisp, gentle days. 
I love the satisfying crunch of leaves underfoot, the lingering scent of wood smoke drifting through the air, and the quiet, mysterious hush that settles over the world in a morning fog.

If I could remake the seasons, July and October would rule the year in perfect harmony. 
Six months of golden sun, six months of crisp air and amber leaves. 
No bitter winters, no endless gray, only warmth and change weaving together in an endless, quiet dance.

With that said, we had to go to town today because Cowboy needed to buy tags.
We now buy tags at Walmart, so that worked out nicely for grabbing a few groceries too.
We didn’t need much, just odds and ends.

The car’s heated seats stayed on the whole ride, even though it warmed up to the low 70s (21 °C).

It feels almost wrong, but I picked up eggnog for Badger at the store today.
I remember when you could only get it in December, maybe late November if you were lucky.
So many things that were treats when I was a child are just everyday items now.

Cowboy said his boss got a call from his wife right before shift ended yesterday. 
They’d visited someone on Sunday who had a headache, and no one had worn masks. 
Today, that person tested positive for COVID-19. 
Cowboy works closely with his boss, and masks aren’t used at work. 
Maybe we shouldn’t be going out. I’m not sure.

We came home to the usual routine: Cowboy fed the chickens, Badger and I put away the groceries, we ate dinner, and then Cowboy was off to work.

We stayed inside all day, except for a quick walk around the church parking lot to get some fresh air.

Badger stays on her game. 
I read a little, and I sat around.
This is the start of hibernating season, though I guess we always hibernate a little.
At least in the warm months, we hibernate in the yard.