Friday Five: Fall Transformations

Mary Beth from Revgals brings us this Friday Five:

Here in my neck of the woods, rain is falling...a little uncharacteristic for August, but most welcome! It'll be hot and humid later, but a break in the heat is most welcome.Also falling (especially into my driveway) are the fruits of the bois d'arc tree (also known as the Osage Orange). We call them "bowdarks" and enjoy bowling them down the driveway to the empty lot across the street. (Yes, I may be a redneck...)
Bois d'arc fruits are used only for: 1) making more trees and 2) eating by squirrels (if you have another use, please let me know!)
The wood of the bois d'arc tree, however, is very hard and very beautiful, and makes gorgeous items like the vase above. Such a lovely thing, from such an odd-looking source!

For this Friday's Five, share with us five transformations that the coming fall will bring your way.

1. We will have a new full-time organist and music director at my congregation. Our last music director left last August. We've had a wonderful interim director/organist, but I'm looking forward to the new ideas and new energy that will come to us this September.

2. We will be hosting a community forum on race and poverty as they affect education at my church: I hope this is the beginning of a transformation of our congregation to get involved in becoming a more integrated community and church.

3. We will be doing some home improvements this fall, fixing the chimney and the floors. We're working on making the house more beautiful.

4. We're beginning the Book of Faith Initiative in our congregation and around our whole denomination -- hopes for personal and congregational transformation, as the winds of the Spirit blows on us.

5. There may be a transformation on the horizon this Thanksgiving for us. We have gone every other year to my husband's sister's house for Thanksgiving. This year they're in transition, they don't know exactly where they will be, and we'll possibly be considering a new tradition or so. Whether it involves travelling or not: I don't know.

Bonus: Give us your favorite activity that is made possible by the arrival of fall.

I love to go to apple orchards to pick apples. I don't go enough, but it's a great fall activity. I also love shopping for school supplies, even though I don't go to school any more.