“Good apple pies are a considerable part of our domestic happiness.”
~ Jane Austen
A cool, dark Sunday afternoon to bake an apple pie for the first time and weave a lattice crust
Barrett and I carrying our rakes around the pond to help Papa with leaves
Flag football
Wedding dress resale shopping with sisters and sisters-in-Christ
Rain in the morning, rain in the evening, rain in the night and thunder that came crashing through the screens
Full, running gutters in the early light, the trees not yet bare but thinned, the last leaves clinging to them
Flannel
Evening earl gray and dress alterations at the sewing table
Papa’s pond running over its banks, carrying all the loose leaves with it
Light in the neighbor’s windows at dawn
When Hudson wore shorts, cowboy boots, and a brown vest to church
Catching up on life with Molly
Space Boys taco truck
How the church came together to set up for Max and Sammy’s wedding at the farm, constructing tents, steaming tablecloths, and chauffeuring guests in the rain
The wedding day—a cold, wet, lovely autumn ceremony beside the lake and before the cross
Couples slow dancing and afterwards, fireworks
Sunday evening games around the table with the family
Mom’s long, patient, steady caretaking of grandparents
Meeting Janet, Jasmine, and Jamie-Lynn
A night roadtrip and car conversations with the siblings
Sight & Sound Theaters
New Merrells
Driving through an afternoon storm, then waiting in the car while it rained for Jared to get off work
Two drive-thru chai teas
A Papa Larry quote in an email: “Wash the dishes and see the world.”
A waning gibbous moon
This conversation with Lanier Ivester on hospitality
Taylor sending me pictures of the kids setting up a play library and stamping books, Bennett behind a desk with glasses on
Mopping the dust off the new floors in our house, cleaning the bathtub, painting the walls green
Late night Lowe’s run, and picking out kitchen dishes at Savers
Thanksgiving meal at the nursing home with Jared’s parents and grandparents, and how all the residents sang along to the (very soulful) gospel band
Baking sourdough loaves and pie for Thanksgiving
A morning hike at Lake Alma, sun in the leaves, flowing creeks, and log bridges over them
The first of many family Thanksgiving meals this year, as Jared and I stretch out the good holiday between two states: smoked meatloaf, potatoes, green beans, coffee, and playing Catan at the table till after dark
bethanyjlincks.com 