“She calls it “stick season,” this slow disrobing of summer, leaf by leaf, till the bores of tall trees rattle and scrape in the wind.”
The sun is shining and the day is warm. I joined Gracie outside and the two of us stayed for a while. While she was romping in the backyard, I leaned on the deck railing and took in the morning. New birds were at the feeders, house finches. They used to be frequent visitors, but this is the first time I’ve seen them this season. While I was on the deck, I filled the seed and suet feeders with the last of both. I’ll be shopping at Agway later.
Not much is happening in my life. The off-season has settled in, and my days and nights are quiet: no more plays, no more dinners on the deck and no more movie nights. At first I missed them, but it really didn’t take too long for me to adjust to this beautiful time of year. The days are warm enough to sit on the deck and read, and the nights are comfortable for sleeping. I started browsing through my recipes looking for comfort foods and soups, and shortly I’ll decorate the house. I’ll put out the deep reds and oranges and the gourds and pumpkins of autumn.
Even when I was a kid, I loved this time of year. We’d collect bright red maple leaves and yellow oak leaves then iron them between pieces of wax paper. On the way home from school, we’d walk in the gutters so we could kick up the fallen leaves. I remember battles when we’d run and toss handfuls of leaves at each other. My father was never a favorite of those, all the more to rake he’d complain.
I think fall has always been my favorite season.
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
September 18, 2010 at 12:25 pm
The weather has been mixed here today, but almost no rain. The sun shines at the moment but it´s already quite cold. Further south they have had real bad weather with strong winds and heavy showers.
I think I liked autumn as a child. I can´t remember otherwise anyway. Collecting leafs, but I can´t remember ironing them at all. But mostly we collected chestnuts and acorns and threw them at each other. I think I and my friends are responsible for most of those trees in my old neighborhood 🙂 🙂
Have a great day now!
Christer.
September 18, 2010 at 12:40 pm
Christer,
Since I wrote earlier, The sun has been disappearing, and it’s chilly when it’s gone. The day isn’t near as lovely as it was.
I laughed at how you and your friends helped disperse the seeds for those trees in your neighborhood.
September 18, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Fall is my favorite season, I love just about everything that comes with it particularly the change of colors in the trees. I like that quote you posted today too. It gets breezy down here in Florida and the surf raises a foot or so but it’s wonderful to stand out on the Cocoa Beach Pier and feel the wind. The salt air is spectacular this time of the year and of course we look to winter which is like you wanting summer, a break from the cold. We get the cold but not so much so enjoy it all for at least six months. This is the season I travel when I can but not this year. I’m grounded.
September 20, 2010 at 10:29 am
Z&Me,
The paper today had a picture of the first red leaf in Maine. It was beautiful!
I agree about the salt air. Even as far from the water as I am it permeates the morning air.
September 18, 2010 at 4:24 pm
Autumn is my favorite season. I love the smell of fallen leaves as I rake them. In my yard it is mixed with the smell of fallen black walnuts which is a very green and tangy smell. Energizing. When the nuts first start falling I’ll often pick one up and hold it to my nose like a flower. Later on as they start falling like raindrops it’s not so nice because I have to pick them up before the lawnmower runs over them. The squirrels are usually up above dropping more down upon my head as I work
We can’t burn leaves any more but I love the smell so I will take a handful and light them just to remember.
September 20, 2010 at 10:30 am
Hi Caryn,
What a wonderful idea to burn a few leaves for the smell. The fathers standing with their rakes while monitoring leaf fires on the side of the street is still one of my favorite memories.
I’m laughing at the squirrels dropping them on your head-nasty buggers!