FALL FAVES!

My absolute favorite season is here!!
3 months of glorious autumn...I LOVE it. 
 I like that the first day of winter (Dec 21st) is my youngest daughter's birthday but the days leading up to that are my fave of all.  There's nothing like autumn in the great NorthEast.

Join in and find five faves from your week.....blessings from God is what I like to call them....and then link up with Susanne and other blogging friends by heading here.  Leave me a comment with at least one of your faves and I'll be sure to visit you at some point before the weekend is over!

FALL FAVES

Manchester, Vermont
note the Green Mountains that are still green!

Claire in downtown Bennington, Vermont

an 85 lb chocolate bull moose and his chocolate moose "wife"
Bennington Vermont

• SATURDAY IN VERMONT!  Early Xmas shopping in Manchester with my sister Joy and my youngest daughter, browsing in this bookstore, lunch at a delightful deli/bakery with CHEAP prices featuring all organic and local foods, a stop at this sweet-smelling establishment, ice cream on the way back to Bennington, another stop in another candy store, fudge sampled and purchased, another bookstore, an antique store and then home to a yummy dinner. Vermont and the Green Mountains, time spent with Claire and my younger sister and some early Xmas gifts.....a fave for sure!

image taken from Target website

• NEW PILLOW!  Every couple of years, I tend to buy new bed pillows.  This year it was my turn. Since I was diagnosed with a bulging disc and it's slowly getting healed up, I decided to try the new pillows for back and side sleep positions since that is best for my back's arthritis/bulging disc issues. The Chiropractor said it is much better for low back pain to sleep on one's back or side. What a difference!! I finally have had a good nite's sleep every night this week with NO getting up in the middle of the night in pain! Hallelujah! And it was on sale....always a fave!

• EVENING WALK! After dropping Claire off to the dance studio on Monday evening, it was only 6 pm and a beautiful evening so I decided, before running errands, to take my pumpkin spice coffee, camera, and sneakers to the town bike path that runs through the north part of the town park and take a leisurely walk. Leisurely is all I'm allowed to do right now so I enjoyed the peace and quiet and walked for about 1/4 mile before the darkness started to settle in. I only saw 3 other walkers and one runner. I found the golden yellows so pretty and was encouraged as I had NO back pain during the walk and that is definitely a fave!

"Pete"

• DECORATING! Wednesday was a day off from school so I ran some errands and had some time to browse in this store.  I found some great deals on Harvest-type decorations.  The arrangement of sunflowers and cattails is one I've had for several years...I simply added some new silk leaves to the milkjug and it really brightens it up!  I bought 2 pumpkins, one for each side the step and a mini pumpkin and gourd for the little wooden white table on the front porch.  The inside of the house is decorated as well but I'll wait until sometime this weekend to post those photos.  Working outside in the warmth of an autumn afternoon is always a fave and the little scarecrow we named "Pete" is a cute bonus!

image taken from betterfit website

• GOOD REPORT!  I had a chiropractic appointment on Wednesday (and later today) and the wife of the head chiropractor, who oversees the physical therapy part of my rehab, told me I am showing excellent form on the fitness ball and excellent range of motion with my lumbar stretches, pelvic tilts, pelvic circles and leg stretches. YEAH!!!  The good news is that the bulging disc must be less bulging because I am more fluid, walking better, and having less pain throughout the day. I no longer have ANY pain at night.  This is a huge answer to prayer and the results of working on that fitness ball 3 times a day!! Less constant pain, a back getting stronger, and a disc that is healing is a definite fave!

Those are the main faves that came to mind as I reflected on this past week.  Some Scripture also comes to my mind so I will leave you with the one I've been chewing on the most. There have been several morning devotions that have spoken to my heart this past week but this particular Scripture has been at the forefront of my mind..........

God will give us a song and will protect us......He truly is our hiding place......We have the assurance that He is there for us.....watching us, protecting us, loving us, holding us.

Enjoy the weekend everyone...take time for a Sabbath and for worshiping our Creator!