As I write this, change is in the air. A late summer storm is knocking out power and bringing down trees, a reminder that even though it’s only the beginning of September, fall is on the way. The leaves on some of the trees are turning yellow and dropping early too. The hot, dry summer has stressed them; they don’t have the energy to hang on until the first frost. In the garden, the tomatoes are ripening at a frightening speed, the basil peaked weeks ago, and the raccoons wiped me out of figs a month before the fruit usually ripens.

Things are a little different inside the house this September too. After more than twenty years of having my office in the basement, I’m moving upstairs. Originally I chose the downstairs space so I’d have some privacy and a separate space when my kids were young. Now, Teen Freud wants the distance and he’d like to ‘relocate’ to what’s essentially a downstairs suite. While it makes good sense on a pile of levels, I have mixed feelings. I’m sad because my basement office is a cozy spot with a window seat full of pillows I love, funky purple trim on the walls, and a view of the garden. I’ve written over 20 books there! But I’m excited to paint and decorate a new space even if it won’t have my beloved window seat. I’ve been reading my stash of Feng Shui books to remind myself about the Chinese art of placement. And when I’m not reading up on placement tips, I’m dipping into these books:

On the Kindle: If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

At the Gym: The Residence: Inside the World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower

Before Bed: The Sweetness of a Simple Life by Diana Beresford-Kroeger

Books read to date in 2015: 59