It's on the Way!

A few days ago I received an email from a long-time friend who lives in a neighboring state. Our personalities are similar and our opinions are the same on many topics.

So when my friend mentioned that she dreaded the approach of Fall, I was quite surprised. She said that autumn would arrive with a jolt and she would probably hear a loud thud as the trees dropped their leaves in unison. Thus would begin endless months of dark, dreary weather punctuated by occasional bouts with snow.

Huh?

I love Fall. It has always been my favorite season. What's not to like? The weather turns cooler, yes, but that gives us an excuse to again wear socks and sweaters. I love cuddling on the sofa with a chenille throw or even lighting the gas logs for an occasion overdose of atmosphere.

Autumn alerts us to begin thinking about eating a new assortment of foods, like stews, homemade soups and warm, comforting treats. It's time to again plan meals (cooking!) after what has been a long and extremely hot summer. I can't be the only one ready for a change.

In many areas of the country, trees exhibit their brilliant foliage of red, orange and gold. It's an annual opportunity to observe nature's creative side. After my family moved to Arizona in 1960, we often trekked to Northern Arizona in the Fall just to see the changing leaves. This pilgrimage was a welcomed event and confirmed to us that there were still more seasons than the two that existed in the desert (those being summer and not summer).

Fall also means the start of football season, a big event for some. Personally, I lost interest in football with the retirement of Joe Namath but that's another story. Football continues to draw fans for the local, college and professional teams. From my house, I can hear the local football games on Friday nights. Sounds of the high school band and the crowd carry easily in the Autumn evening air. These events provides adequate exposure to football and remind of me of rooting for our team when I was a kid and associated fun like Homecoming and after-game dances. Football always seemed like a nice way to start another school year.

Of course, the Christmas holidays can't be far off once Autumn arrives. We launch into decorating our homes and porches with pumpkins, gourds and bright pots of mums. The colors of Fall flowers are rich and vibrant -- hues of orange, cranberry red, white, maroon and gold. What a lovely mixture of tones and a delightful change from the pale shades of summer.

Best of all, Fall signals that it's time to relax a bit. After summer vacations, activities of all kinds to keep the kids busy and families a bit frenzied, it's time to sit down and take a deep breath. It's been a busy time for the past six months. Spring meant there was a garden to plant, grass to tend, and household projects. Summer meant the kids would need entertaining and transportation to events, a vacation to plan, barbecues and cook-outs to host. Just about everywhere, families and kids keep hyper-busy during the summer. Time flies and suddenly there is talk about Back-to-School which includes buying clothes and supplies.

And this is where the magic of Fall comes in. It forces us to s-l-o-w down a bit and regroup. We should be like our friends the squirrels who store up nuts for the winter ahead. We must learn to enjoy the process of getting ready for winter. But we should also savor raking leaves, recognize the changing seasons and enjoy every day.