100 Years of Summer-tude

Some encouraging signs of fall this week! A few changing leaves.

The green acorn stage...my favorite!

The sudden reappearance of white-tailed deer in the yard, every single afternoon.

They've been sleeping in my iris beds...I've found deer-sized depressions among the greenery.

Despite these signs of fall, we're still waiting for the temperatures to drop.  How can it be so close to October and still 90 degrees every day?!?!?  It's so quiet outside...no birds singing, few visible insects since the last of the summer flowers have gone to seed...

It's like everything is laying low and holding its breath, just waiting, waiting, waiting for fall.  Oh, I still see the occasional lizard running across my office window screen...

...a few isolated spider webs...

(Here is the owner of that web!)

...and a few late-season grasshoppers, lethargic in the heat.  But mostly it's just quiet. 

The cats are fed up with the weather too.  They've been protesting by staying asleep most of the time...

...with occasional bouts of naughtiness.

(Bosewichte sneaking out, then complaining about the heat)

So I'm staying inside, knitting, and trying to be patient.  I just knitted these quick fingerless gloves.  I went down 2 needle sizes because I have really small hands, but they still aren't quite as snug as I'd prefer.  Still, they fit pretty well, and will be put to use if winter ever comes!  The pattern is Pawkies by Kate Davies on Ravelry, knitted with Rowan Felted Tweed. 

I've also thrown myself into fall baking, making batches of cookies and cupcakes for Todd's office every week.  I try out new recipes on them, and in this way I discovered a new favorite cookie recipe.  Repeat after me:  Iced Browned Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal cookies.  Recipe here.  By pressing the excess moisture from the pumpkin, you get an amazingly chewy cookie.  I added cinnamon chips (of course) and extra spices, and they were so good. 

See those brown flecks?

Those are from the browned butter.  It adds a richness and nuttiness to recipes and is the absolute star of this cookie.

So those of you who have weather in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, enjoy!  I really hope to be joining you soon. 

Have a great week!