Friday Vibes: Extraordinary Autumn Fun

I love making confetti – especially in autumn when the crushing and scattering of rust, orange, golden, and crimson-colored leaves get sprayed on the still deep-green lawn. The colorful array, with its aromatic, earthy smell, gets projected from the tractor. I direct the tractor to spray the confetti into lines, pretending to create rooms in an imaginary outside house like my sister and I loved doing when we were young racking them to make the chore more enjoyable.

Sun streaks through half-barren tree limbs lighting my way. Shade still dots the lawn on a warm autumn afternoon since my new confetti’s relatives still hang out above not wanting to join them quite yet. I don’t blame them. I’d rather hang out closer to the sky watching squirrels as they weave and duck into tree holes with mouths full of winter food.

Not only do I create confetti from my John Deere tractor, but I also use its weight to crush black and lime green butternuts scattered at the edge of our lawn. Once in a while, the nuts don’t crush under the weight of the machine but rather forcefully get projected like a baseball coming out of a pitching machine. “You are welcome, squirrels and chipmunks,” I say. “I’m happy to lighten your work by cracking these suckers open so you can save your tiny teeth.”

I keep driving the tractor to mow the lawn still growing from the mix of rain and sunshine so late in the year. Since our house is kitty-corner to a horse farm, where I hear neighs every once in a while, I pretend the tractor transforms itself into a bucking bronco as it edges me near the farm view. My left hand holding onto the steering wheel with a steely grip, and my right hand pretending it has a lasso spinning in the air. A car drives by with its driver staring.  Hee Haw!

Today’s blog post is to encourage you to find fun in the ordinary chores in your life.

What can you do to design or dream up something fun while doing regular old tasks? I say look at the chores as children do. If you do, you’ll find adventure within the boring and dull. If you live in the Northeast, make sure to enjoy this colorful time of year when you can create your own confetti, ride a bucking bronco, and help chipmunks with their grocery list.