Falling out of Fall

Well, I'm still trying.  Trying and trying to maintain that good attitude towards fall
that so many people have.  The pumpkin's on the balcony, the autumnal centerpiece is on the dining room table, the cheery sign is on my door.

Today is everything I would want fall to be:  sunny and warm.  Today I can putter and clean and read and enjoy my home.  I even had a nice walk along the beach before the wind blew me back into my car.  But we've had too many days this October with clouds and rain.  And darn it, I had to put the heat on. 

With the days growing shorter, I begrudge any bit of sunlight I'm deprived of.  I don't walk in the rain.  Naturally curly hair makes that a disaster.  I believe exercise is better out of doors in the fresh air and sunshine.  There's that vitamin D, and balancing all those serotonins and melatonins makes for a better night's sleep.

As we're sitting here smack in the middle of October, I have to take stock.  Yes, the foliage is great this year.  But the flowers are dying.  Mums just don't do it for me.  While they are colorful, those colors aren't in my preferred palette.  Like Sweet Baby James, deep greens and blues are the colors I choose.

So I've rejoined the Y, will continue to order the pumpkin spice latte, maybe bake some pumpkin bread.  Just let it stay sunny, not gray.  I'll keep savoring the sights and smells of autumn.  And I'll try not to think of the white and gray season that follows.

Falling into Fall

I have to admit that Fall is not my favorite season.  As the days shorten, all I can think of is the Winter that is coming.  The thoughts of those dark evenings, that cold, and gosh, snow! all bring my mood down.

All of which means I'm living in future, not the present.  There's no telling what kind of winter we'll have on the North Shore.  It could be mild and snow free, like last winter.

No, this year I'll live in the Autumn.  I'll focus on the good points of the season.  The cool nights are better for sleeping.  The warm, sunny afternoons perfect for being outdoors.  The season shines in New England, with trees sporting a vibrant palette.

Baked goods smell of cinnamin and clove, and hot drinks are appreciated in the nippy air of morning.  The farmers markets are full with local harvests, and there's lots of good cooking to be done with fresh fruits and vegetables still.

It's time to change wardrobes, and time to put on shoes.  Time to check out last year's sweaters, and corduroy pants.  Time for a pumpkin on the balcony, and a new welcome plaque on the door. 

It's a good day so long as there is a chance to get outside.  I'm going to stop thinking of Fall as an ending, but as a continuance of good things to be enjoyed.  Sometimes the snow and ice is more attitude than weather.