Pilgrim-Obsessed

I have lots of little ways to help me escape from my mostly-wonderful-but-occasionally-need-a- good-diversion life. I was on a kick a few summers ago-when Jenna was at the height of her crying, nursing, clingy self- about living a Town and Country life. (Have you ever read Town and Country magazine? Full of society people and richness and yummy pictures and pretty things.) I got really into it and planned it all out: I would winter somewhere around Boston, where Dan would have a fabulous job to pay for all of this, and we would summer on Nantucket Island. Our Boston house would be a regal brownstone, comfortable yet elegant, and the Nantucket house would be beachy and carefree and all whitewashed and blue inside, with a little bit of lobster red thrown in. The girls and I would stay there for the summer, eating out, drinking in the culture and social scene and Dan would come in on the weekends. It was a pretty nice fantasy life.

I even told my friends about it as I was thinking the whole thing through... and thank you, Gina, for suggesting getting a bike to ride on the Island with a basket in the front to carry the wildflowers I'd gathered that day. That is a great detail that really fleshes it all out. I called it "my secret fantasy life" until my friend Angel, without any mockery in her voice at all (well.... maybe a little mockery), suggested that I stop calling it "secret" since I was telling everyone about it.

Anyway, I tell this story because I have another secret obsession to report.

I am obsessed with Pilgrims.

So you can see what an exciting time of year this is for me. Pumpkins, gourds, hay bales, turkeys, Thanksgiving recipes, rich soups, warm breads, the simple life, falling leaves, being with family, harvest-colored candy (soooo dangerous. And enticing. And delicious.), Wampanog Indians... I love it all. And it's all around me. I have even added the fact that I have been to First Encounter Beach in Eastham, MA, where the Pilgrims and natives first "encountered" each other- with rifles- to my list of Pilgrim-related accomplishments this year. I love the history of the Pilgrim settlers, I love the folklore that everyone got along at first, I love the silver buckles and tall hats and long dresses and wool blankets. I love their hardscrabble faith that it was going to better here than where they came from. Eventually.

And of course I love Thanksgiving. It is my High Holy Day of Homemaking: gathering the family together, in preferably matching outfits, of course, and showing off your skills as a hostess, cook and baker. Delicious. I love the traditions of it, the anticipation, and the joy that the Christmas Season REALLY begins after Thanksgiving Day. Put up the tree!! Crank the holiday music! Drag out the much-loved copy of Christmas Vacation DVD!!!!

Whew.

I am adding to my Thanksgiving/Pilgrim hysteria this year by making a reversible apron for myself. It was supposed to offset my need to purchase new scrapbooking supplies, which has only led me buy material for various unnecessary sewing projects instead. I went to the fabric store and found the most yummy fabric and guess what they had? PILGRIM TOILE!!!!!

I'll say it again: PILGRIM TOILE!!!!!

With real Pilgrims! Hoeing the ground! Gathering gourds! With cornucopias full of Bounty! It was too much for me. I am almost done with it and it's gorgeous. Here's a peek at the fabrics and ribbon I'm using.

Wow. This was cleansing for me.

Here are some more pictures of the gorgeous fall around us here in the Northeast.

Happy October! Happy Fall!