Autumn

It's heeeeere...! The Fall is by far my favorite season and each year I'm itching to jump right into it, the same way I did as a kid - piling up leaves and canon-balling right into the huge mound. It's always tempting to get all season-y a few weeks early when September rolls in. But, no, Fall does not being until late in the month, so I patiently waited. Now that it's official though, there's no holding back. From now until Thanksgiving, our house will have a constant supply of candy corn and apple cider.

Basic psychoanalysis will, of course, trace the attraction back to my childhood. It makes perfect sense really; October essentially kicks off with my birthday and Halloween ends it, so the whole month is a celebration. As a tot how couldn't I be anything but enchanted by the opportunity for so much candy? Sigh, another helpless child succumbs to consumerist America. And sadly, it didn't go away with age - apparently there is a strong emotional connection between the unconscious and sugar - I was one of those kids that still got dressed up for the holiday well through high school. To my credit though, I wore legit costumes and earned my candy. (I was obviously distracted with the material charms of the season when I was younger.) Now, older and wiser, I'm thrilled to have a child of my own... to use as an excuse to get back in the game. No, seriously. Under the disguise of my little one, I can trick my neighbors and will have a good four year until my son realize Mama is the one who's been stealing his treats. But children shouldn't have all that candy anyway, so I'm really just doing what's best. That's how deep my love goes. I'll do that.

All silliness aside, the season has evolved (as they tend to do) and now, it's more about nostalgia and a "feeling" I get with that first crisp-cool day. You know the one; it makes you want to pull on a fuzzy sweater and ride some bales of hay while holding a warm mug o' cider. Guaranteed you've already felt it. And if you live in a warmer climate, I weep for you. But just got to that place in your mind. It's lovely. Even people who hate the cold and coming winter, can't deny the beauty of a fall day. We've only just entered this glorious time of year but it's fleeting as the changing leaves make evident with each day, so get out there and enjoy it. Here on our end, we've got pretty much every weekend planned with leaf-peeping, nature hikes, birthday dinners, anniversaries, visits to pumpkin patches, costume parties, and road races. Pictures and stories to capture it all will soon follow.  In the mean time, I leave you with this sneaky riddle I made for my twin sister a couple of years ago for our birthday. I'm not a very good puzzler. Or poet. But, any takers on what fall things inspired each line? The answers will be revealed on Sunday.

Auburn patchwork under canopy trees

A depiction in spume of woodland fern leaves.

Fairytale carriages awaiting their rides

A touch of magic will bring them alive.

Harvested stalks yield handfuls of seed

Disguised in stripes and crispy puffed feed.