September and organizing and sunflowers

Oh, September. I could sing a song about you.

I won't though.

Someone else should though, definitely.

Cool mornings. Soft breezes. The occasional storm shower. The garden is at its peak of glory. And finally my sunflowers and zinnias are blossoming. (Yes, these pics are those flowers. Aren't they GORGEOUS?? I love September.)

And then there is the organizing.

Because, as you may well know from past posts(here, here, here, here), September is my official GET SHIT ORGANIZED month.

No more of the summer chaos. Throw it in the closet! Deal with it later! Quick, get outside and absorb that sunshine! Get to the lake! The zoo! Camp! GO GO GO!

No. We are done with that. Because now we are putting up cans and cans of produce. Jellies and jams and pickles and three bean salad. And we need room to can. And to put the jars up. And plants start coming back inside. Some ferns. The tall quirky aloe. Its a little too cold at night for some of them.
And I start to think about winter. Not without a twinge of dread. But only a tiny twinge. And I cast on stitches for a fuzzy winter hat for baby Green. And school is underway. Bringing rhythm to our day.

And I am ready.

And. Fall. Winter.

And I am ready.

GET SHIT ORGANIZED.

Do you do this? I've already talked about why I do. I think. Years and Years and Years of SCHOOL. Fall is new classes and new ideas and professors and experiences.

I think a lot about daily routine in these months. What I want to accomplish. And a list starts forming in my head. Because I am list girl.

Here is what I have so far.

1) Become adept at making gluten free bread. Bake more. I need to take Green in for an official diagnosis but I am pretty sure she is celiac....ehhhhhhh.
2) Get up early EVERY MORNING. I still struggle with this. Getting up before the kids makes a WORLD of a difference in my attitude to take on the day. But, man am I tired. So tired. Zzzzzzzzz. Still, I gots to try. Gots to gots to gots to.
3) Finish revising book. Send out book to agents. Get rejected. Send out book to agent. Get rejected. Repeat ad nauseum. (Fun times ahead!)
4) Start next book. (OOOOOO. Such a good idea for my next project. I mapped it out this morning actually. Writing fresh stories is much nicer and funner than revising and getting rejected.)
5) Get kids into 4H/Cub scouts/and etc. (This is part of Operation Don't Sit at Home and Be Lonely All Winter. I read somewhere this winter is going to be just as harsh and long as last year. Must. Find. More. Friends. I suck at this.)
6) Um. Join a gym? I hate to write that on the list but. I need to not be a jellyfish by next spring. Which is how I felt this spring. Also. See above.
7) Paint. Knit. Sew. Create. This is part of Operation Be Happy.
8) Geez. I think that is probably enough. I should probably put something here about school ambitions. I've got other lists for that though. HA. One more thing might be a new resolution. Stop stressing out about stuff I can't control. A lifelong item on the list perhaps. For certain. But, my gosh, entering into fall and a new school year this stressed out about stupid things beyond me is really....stupid....oh yes...
9) Blog twice a week. I am going to start a book-ish section, with my sisters, EEEEEEEEEK. I am excited about this one. "The Johnson-Sisters Talk Books." Also old time anti-recipe attempts from my favorite new cookbook. Also. More crafty things. Fall is for crafty, for me anyway, not so much summer.

That is all I can think of.

I feel like I need a number 10. To round out the list.

10) Oh yes. Um. ORGANIZE. Purge crap. Fabric scraps exploding out of the closet. Clothes I "might wear some day." Baby things. Old kid toys. Books in boxes. Random kitchen things we never use. Clean. Efficient. Simple.

So. Yes. A year of peace. Creative energy. Writing. Simplifying.

This is the year I need. So I am gonna make it happen. You know?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand GO.

Except maybe later. Because its gorgeous out and we are going to the lake. Quick! Drop everything! Cut up that watermelon! Get in the car! GO GO GO!