Your every move feels energized. Yet, at the same time, tranquilizing thoughts of relaxing around your crackling fireplace tempt you. If you love the fall, you’ll completely understand the following sentiment:
1. You appreciate the glorious sounds.
Geese honking overhead, as they fly further south to warmer climates, where the food is still readily available. School buses whisking apprehensive children back to their classrooms. The wind, rustling the ever changing leaves, encouraging them to drop like confetti to the ground, creating a carpet. With your every step, the sounds of crunching alert you to a welcoming change. Busy festivals, children giggling as they play hide and seek in the corn fields, sounds of tractors filled with passengers with rosy cheeks enjoying their hay ride and the laughter of children carefully picking the most impressive pumpkin to carve, decorate and display proudly at their homes on Halloween. This is fall.
2. You love the peace the season brings.
As the day’s light becomes shorter and shorter, wind swirling the leaves, it’s all so wondrous! The harvest moon. Darkness creeping over your life in the most romantic way. Feeling the desire to gather and store your necessities for the coming winter — much like our friends the squirrels.
3. You understand that the smells of fall hypnotize and entice.
The sweet perfume of burning wood, the aroma of fallen leaves, earth, rain, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, hot cocoa, simmering soups, stews, chilis, roasted chicken, tart and sweet apples, the indescribable smell of pies baking … apple, pumpkin and pecan “oh my!” Mostly, you smell Mother Nature preparing for hibernation and survival.
4. You see breathtaking events.
The leaves change to magnificent colors — brilliant hues of red, yellow, orange and brown. They impressed you with their beauty in the spring and summer months, but now it’s time for them to disappear. It’s absolutely spellbinding and you’re aware that you are witnessing something very significant. It humbles you. Pumpkin patches are overflowing with small, medium, large and unusually gigantic pumpkins, their colors so calming and sweet. Jack-O-Lanterns abound, creatively carved in the most surprising ways, depicting engaging personalities. Ah, yes. It’s fall.
5. You feel excitement.
Time to bring out the fall clothes…soft, warm, nurturing, fluffy, velvety, you’ve missed them so! They greet you with a loving hug, your old friend, welcoming you back. There is no greater joy than slipping into your flannel pajamas on the first cool evening. Fall attire has a bold personality. Colors and fabrics that step up and demand to be noticed, yet remain kind and caring, helping you through the cold and dark days that await. Halloween costumes are everywhere, tempting you to celebrate and remember the joy of your youth. You gleefully watch as children on a sugar high trick or treat door-to-door, hoping to frighten, unaware of how precious they look in their much anticipated costumes. Don’t forget about fall footwear — it’s serious. You understand it wants to protect you, but your pillowy slippers await your arrival, murmuring softly: “Welcome home!”
6. You can even taste this season.
Savor and nibble every bit, all throughout the fall. Where shall I begin? Pumpkin everything! The overflow of comfort foods reappear after a season of bikinis…casseroles, mashed potatoes, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, biscuits and muffins. Steaming bowls of hot cereal prepare you for the frosty days ahead. Fall, lovingly and excitedly, whispers in your ear: “Take notice and appreciate the beauty and strength of this exquisite season and have patience as Mother Nature readies you for the winter months to come.” Isn’t it amazing? Featured photo credit: Z0wbfMGU via media.lifehack.org
