I fall for fall
Fall is my favorite season of the year. I appreciate all of the seasons, and anticipate the change and relish each of the seasons, but fall is my favorite. It may be because I was born in the fall but I think it is because there are so many special memories that make it my favorite.
I remember in my youth climbing as high up a pecan tree as possible. The leaves gone from the trees, it was possible to see forever. It was a special pleasure to enjoy the gentle swaying of the tree at that height. I love the cool breeze blowing, even the warmth of the sun was pleasant. I enjoyed watching the various animals bounding around the landscape. Squirrels with their quick, jerky motion, the freedom that they enjoyed as they moved up and down the trees, watching them jump from limb to limb was especially pleasurable.
Even the squawk of Blue Jays, and trying to get a good close look at them was a joy. The occasional cardinal with its bright red plumage was another treat. As was the flying formations of geese that could be seen flying south for the winter.
It was fun looking through the leaves on the ground to gather pecans, and I enjoyed eating them, even the work of shelling them to be used in cooking special treats was enjoyable. The smell of food cooking in the kitchen was especially pleasant and the warmth of the stove is still a thrill to me. Whether it was the smell of a cake or some other sweet treat baking, or the simple smell of a savory dish of chicken and dumplings, it brought me a lot of comfort. It seems that the smell of coffee brewing in the morning is more intense to the senses and is a little bit more than at other times of the year. There is nothing like the smell of peanuts or sweet potatoes baking to excite the senses.
I enjoy cooking, and I enjoy canning and preserving foods during the summer. It is a pleasure to open a jar that is almost picture-perfect and filled with fruits and vegetables picked at the height of their perfection, and canned with love. Savoring such tempting treats as smoked salmon, oysters or jerky that I have made is special. I enjoy the apples, peaches, raisins and other treats that have been dried from the summer.
One of the treasures that I enjoy most today is taking vacations in the early fall. The weather is good, the rates are low and most of the crowds have gone. This allows me to travel and meet people native to the area, even if it is just a town within my own state or in another country. I love meeting people and this is one of the best times to do it. I enjoy visiting museums, devoid of the large crowds, it gives time in which you can talk with the personnel and learn so much more than you can when they are rushed by the crowds that visit during the summer.
I recall being able to visit the Wright Brothers Museum on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and being able to spend time with the personnel, talking about the subject that they love so well. One of my most memorable experiences took place when I visited the site of Sutter’s mill in California. The weather was excellent but there were very few people in attendance and it was almost like I had my own personal curator.
There were many years when I worked shiftwork, which allowed me lots of free time in the middle of the week to enjoy the outdoors without the crowds that are normally there on weekends. I was able to walk in the woods and fields as I hunted or fished. Today I am way more apt to be in the same field but with my camera instead of a gun or fishing pole. I enjoy taking pictures of the scenery, the animals and enjoying all the beauty that nature has bestowed on the area. It is almost as if the world were created solely for me to enjoy doing my time out in the surroundings.
Activities that other people sometimes put aside during the fall include ones that I relish. I love going on my motorcycle even when the air is crisp, riding to a town that I have never been to before, going to a restaurant that I have never gone to before, enjoying a hot cup of coffee, meeting new people, seeing the sights and returning home on a different route. Even if I have traveled this road before, it looks different with the change of the seasons. With the leaves changing color or gone and time to enjoy, I see things that were not visible in the summertime.
As a child, while I did not want to admit it, I enjoyed going back to school and learning new things. Today it is a time when I do a lot of research, reading and writing. I am never alone because I have my thoughts, my dreams, my goals and they are all filled with excitement.
So rather than seeing the passing of summer with sadness and grief, I look to the arrival of fall with much anticipation. From the rich, magnificent, and brilliant colors of fall I find great pleasure. I hope that you will begin to look at fall for all the richness that it brings to our lives.
Learn to fall for fall!
