Autumn

As I sit looking out my bay window, the one in the living room, I see that almost all of the leaves have fallen.  Maybe 30% are left and it is only the end of October.  Fall is my most favorite of all seasons.  I also love winter.  To me, winter is the icing on my cupcake of autumn.  As a child I used to remove the top of my chocolate Hostess cupcake, I'd set it aside while I ceremoniously ate the cake part, trying hard to get a tiny bit of the white filling with every bite.  I had to save the top--for it was saving the best for last.  However, it's important to have the cupcake too, otherwise, the 2 would seem incomplete.  At least to me.
Crazy thoughts--comparing the two.  I'm in a crazy thought type of mood.  Who knows what will end up on the pages of my blog today.

Most people I know love the fall, but some complain that after fall comes winter and they hate winter.  They are the ones that I find so hard to understand.  The winter haters.  But, why dread fall just because winter follows?  That doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Last weekend and the weekend before my husband and I took our cameras and our convertible and went for long drives in the nearby countryside in search of autumn colors.  Every time we'd see some colorful tree we'd shout stop!  and get our cameras out.  We took so many beautiful pictures and even managed to snap a few of a red-tailed hawk.  He was just sitting there watching the crazy humans with their telephoto lenses--whispering to each other, tiptoeing through the crunchy leaves, just to get a closer look.  He was spectacular.

It was also cold enough a couple of weeks ago to put the flannel sheets and the down comforter on our bed.  We turned our heater on--finally giving in.  We lit our gas fireplace so that now whenever the mood strikes we can, with 1 click, have an instant fire going.  Yes, it feels like autumn here.  It smells like autumn here. And it looks like autumn here.

We also have gone through our winter clothing--boots, coats, sweaters, gloves, vests.  Everything is ready for the soon to come cold-snap.  The first freeze.  We are waiting--it feels like autumn here.

When I was a kid we would walk along the sidewalk making the leaves crunch beneath our feet. Sometimes we'd kick them up or sometimes stop and make huge piles to fall into.
I can remember trying hard to find the perfect leaf to take home with me--I always looked for the red ones. I wonder if that's the reason I love red trees even to this day.  Also, sometimes we could smell neighbors burning leaf piles.  I loved that smell.  I doubt they could do it now with all the different regulations.  But, I'm glad they did it then.  I can still close my eyes and remember that awesome smell.

It's kind of funny for me to think about this but here goes--I was born in the fall, and fall colors are the colors that look best on me with my skin tone.  I love the cooler weather and shorter days.  Food for thought.  Maybe that's why I love fall so much.  I don't know, just thinking...maybe it's because it sure feels like autumn around here.

So now, as I sit here all wrapped up in a warm comfy throw, my book laying by my side, typing away on my laptop, drinking my coffee and looking out my window--I am reminded of how much I love the colors of autumn--they are my favorite.