I am slowly getting my pumpkin act together. The mantel is fixed and looks festive.

There’s not much I can say for the rest of the house. I’m still unpacking six months of “stuff” from the summer, so autumn decorating will have to wait.

All of a sudden there is so much to do. Banjo Man fixed his broken lawnmower Saturday, but had to buy a new weed whacker to replace one that can’t be fixed. The yard is a mess. There is a freezer to empty and a pantry to clean out (we’ve made a stab at both chores). The car needs an oil change and an expert to figure out why our headlights keep going out. We are trying to find someone to remove our old range hood fan and replace it with a new one before Thanksgiving. Doctor and dentist appointments are piling up.

Everyone I know is enjoying cooler weather and thinking ahead to winter and what lies ahead. New England is predicted to be snowy, according to the amount of acorns on the ground and the markings of caterpillars and tv weatherman who forecast El Nino influences.

Before it snows I plan to load up on paper towels, toilet paper, beans, rice, yeast, flour and canned tomatoes. We have several dozen jars of canned Idaho peaches and plums. Our gas stovetop will work, even if the power goes out, so we’ll be ready for what comes our way.

What about you? What are you doing to get ready for winter? Any advice?