7 Quick Takes {Take 53} Fall weekend activities commence, and encountering the saints edition...

-1- Apple cider for everyone!

Hello everyone, and happy Friday! This second weekend of September marks my family's official beginning to the frantic stuffing in of autumn-related activities. Fall is my absolute favorite season of the entire year, and I never want to waste a single opportunity to partake of something festive. This weekend, we have lined up a trip to the farmer's market on Saturday morning, and then a pilgrimage down to our favorite cider mill on Sunday. The cider mill is so popular, that we're attending the vigil Mass on Saturday evening just so that our Sunday morning is freed up to arrive at the mill the instant they open. Otherwise, you get trapped in a long line and the place is so small that you really can't breathe, let along shop in the cute gift store while chasing after unruly toddlers. :0 I'm hoping to come home with some pumpkin fudge and lots of candy corn, in addition to the requisite vat of cider.

*beams*

-2- Getting to be sweater weather, and who doesn't love *that*?!

We've had some mild weather here in WNY at the beginning of September, but this weekend is taking a turn to more seasonable temperatures. There is a little bite in the air this morning, and I've officially moved from my open toe work shoes to my cute new pumps. And lots of cardigans.

But finally, I blocked and dried the tweed sweater that I knit for myself. Only took a year, I'm super speedy like that. ;-) Here it is, with my weekend up-do in place:

I'm very happy with how it turned out, but it is wool, so there is an itch factor. I'm going to get a light long sleeved tee or something like that to go underneath. Nice and toasty for the winter.

-3- Been a busy, crafty bee...

Besides finishing the sweater, I knit a hat for my nephew:

This is the second of two, for a set of twins. :) I'm going to Maine to see them next month for their birthday, and I wanted to assure that the hats were done in time. I'm very excited about that trip. I also made a pair of earrings, I call them Copper Fire :)

I really like the cool cord that hangs from the back of your ear when you wear these. They're very simple, but fun and go with so many outfits.

-4- Back to my belly dancing ways...

After a two week recess, my dance troupe is finally back in session tonight. I have missed it badly, but with that nasty cold I had, the break was actually timed fairly well.  We have a performance coming up on Tuesday, so tonight will be some frantic practicing of routines that hopefully haven't gotten too rusty in our minds. After dancing together for so long, we're pretty good at winging things on the fly. I will report back in on the performance front on Wednesday, and I'm very glad to be getting my weekly dance fix back. :)

-5- You mean there are children's books on saints that I haven't discovered yet?! NOT POSSIBLE.

You know me and my Type A devotion to the saints. Not to mention my Type A approach to books and librarianship.

*halo*

Well. A few weeks back, I received a book to review for Catholic Library World. The editor let me know it was a middle reader book, and asked if that was all right with me. Of course! I answered. I always like getting new ideas for reading material for Henry. Well, it arrived, and it's:

:0 I LOVE it! It's part of a *whole series* of books, published by Pauline Books & Media, called "Encounter the Saints," and they are written for middle readers aged 9-12. Henry and I have been reading a chapter each night before he goes to bed and it's very well done. There are several others in the series that I'd like to get him, especially the St. Kateri volume. Nice Christmas gifts I'm thinking!

-6- The book club approaches!

Our next official Catholic Book Club date is September 24th, and I have started reading the book in the evenings. This month, we're reading Dominican Life, by Walter Wagner, OP.

This is a series of retreat talks that Fr. Wagner gave, and it's a very nice way to wind down the day and reflect on things. The focus is on the Rule of St. Augustine and how it applies to religious men and women, and laypeople alike. Do join me if this sounds interesting to you! I have this on my Kindle, and it's $7.99 for that version right now, $12.60 for the paperback on Amazon (eligible for Prime!).

-7-Liturgical calendar nerdiness

This Sunday is technically the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, but it is also the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This feast commemorates the dedication of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, which was built on the location of the Crucifixion. When the church was under construction, three crosses were found, one of which was identified as being that of Christ. An interesting story there, involving St. Helena, go check it out. :) Our priests will be wearing red vestments that day in commemoration, another fact I find terribly interesting. I love Church calendars.

My attention to this upcoming feast was drawn by listening to Monday Morning Catholic this week, a podcast I've been subscribed to for about 3 weeks now. I really like it, and you can subscribe easily on iTunes. Besides the Sunday readings, this week the panel also discussed liturgy generally, and being the Catholic nerd that I am, I was totally fascinated.

All right, back to work for me. Talk to you all on Monday! And check out more 7 Quick Takes over at Conversion Diary!