I love Autumn
Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 6:00AM I love autumn. It is my favorite time of the year! I love the sharp smell of clean cold wind blowing gently across my face. I love the crispness in the air when I step outside into the day. I love the colors on the trees as they turn from various shades of green to the awesome colors of the rainbow. And I love Halloween. This is the time of year when the Earth turns itself to sleeping mode. Maybe that’s why I love it so. Getting ready for bed has always been one of my favorite relaxing moments of the day.
I grew up in Ephrata where the advent of winter was heralded by the marvelous experience of fall. Ephrata did not boast the variety of colors that now fill my life, but it did host the sharp smell and crispness of the air. The farmers harvesting their crops, the Earth turned one last time by the huge machines- gently put to sleep, apples from the trees, canning the grape juice. These were smells that still linger in my mind as the precursors to winter. Tumbleweeds roll along the roads offering a glimpse into the past. The wind starting as a gentle blow, and then turning into quite the blow. I remember “sitting” on the wind during recess because it was blowing so hard. This is when we brought out the winter coats and went to the football games with wool blankets.
I now live on the coast where fall smells and colors are very different. Instead of the sharp smells, vivid colors assault the senses. The first indicator of fall lies in the colors of the leaves. They seem to slowly turn from the many shades of green to the brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow. The first 3 years I lived here, it was beautiful to behold, but also sad as these same leaves then turned brown and became mush under my feet as October turns into November. The smells on the coast are way different than across the mountains. Instead of fresh tilled earth and harvesting of produce, the air is full of decaying vegetation. Rain comes more frequently and that makes the organic material in this area mold and break down. But the crispness of the autumn air is still there!
This morning as I jumped out of bed to get going, I was reminded that autumn has truly set it. I quickly jumped back under the warmth of my covers as my skin began the process of uncontrollable shivers. We had not turned on the furnace yet, but it was obvious that we now need to do so. My next attempt at leaving the safe haven of warmth was much more calculated. I grabbed a blanket next to my bed and quickly dragged it across my body while reaching for the clothes out of my drawer. I made sure to grab the wool socks that I keep stored for ski season and quickly put those on my feet. Now I was ready to face the day.
Downstairs I find that the house is registering at 65 degrees, which my husband finds delightful. I, on the other hand, quickly begin shivering at anything under 70 degrees! So I set the thermostat to 70, and chug along remembering that the new temperature is part of the process of change. The kids are also feeling the difference in heat, and they quickly dress in a more suitable manner. I start the tea kettle on the stove and pull out the hot chocolate to accompany breakfast.
As I drive the children to school, the beautiful sights of the leaves fill us with joy. Leah exclaims, “Look at the red bushes.” And Lehi starts in on why the bush leaves have changed colors. I am satisfied that the change of the season is glorious. Once again I am reminded why this is my favorite time of year-the smells, the colors, the crispness, the autumn.
Reader Comments (2)
Autumn is my FAVORITE!! I love it. I am really busy but life seems more at peace for me. Harvest is on but with the cool days my husband can get home at a decent time, the kids are in their school groove, and, like you said, the delicious assault of the sense. I know spring is the time that we look forward but there is something to be said about looking back at a job well done, heavy efforts of raising a crop and the rewards of the harvest. I love it!!
Thanks Kate - I went to Seattle yesterday. Once you hit the west side of the pass, the colors speckle the hillside. Then it turns into a barrage of colors. Truly amazing. Issaquah was phenomenal.