It has its own rich colors and delicious aromas. The days are a little shorter and things begin to slow down. Still, there is a sense that we need to prepare.
The squirrels chatter and dash and scold us for taking it easy. They don’t see past their nests to the tops of the trees, but we do. The glorious browns, reds and golds stop us in our tracks.
Somewhere, someone is burning the first fire – we close our eyes, inhale and smile. There is no need to hurry. Autumn is already here and we have plenty of time to enjoy it.
We celebrate autumn in ways that don’t register on the calendar. Throwing open the windows to clean, crisp air is such a welcomed relief after the long hot summer.
Walking the dog is a pleasure now and we don’t have to chase the kids out of the house. They are already in the yard with a football, blocking, tackling and tumbling in a blanket of fallen leaves.
School starts up, warm clothes come out of the closet and plants get a final mulch. Winter will be here soon enough, so we linger in this golden stretch of time.
There will be many pumpkins to carve for Halloween and turkeys to roast for Thanksgiving. For now, stocking up on wood for the fireplace is enough. The weather insists that we sit on the front porch while we shell pecans.
The kitchen begs to be filled with the sweet smell of homemade cookies. One blanket is enough on the bed for now. Summer is over and it will be a long while before we miss it.
Cold weather will eventually chase us into hibernation. Until then, we will take our time. Autumn holds us in the golden glow of its own easy celebrations and we are glad there is no need to hurry.