Goodbyes and hellos as the leaves begin to fall
I have mixed emotions as summer turns into fall.
It is hard to say goodbye to summer pleasures. Autumn means the end of hot, lazy summer days. I miss the long hours of daylight that extended past 10 pm in late June. Now, it is darkening by 8 pm. Next month it will be dark even earlier.
I hear geese honking, reminding me they will soon fly south for the winter. A crispness in the air forebodes of much cooler days to come. I like to live in sandals. Soon, it will be socks and shoes, followed by boots, parkas, and mittens.
The flower beds around my house, filled with brilliant, colourful blooms throughout the summer, will soon become brown and bleak.
But there is also much to celebrate in autumn. The cooler air is perfect for long walks. Many vegetables are now ready for harvesting and preserving.
It’s back-to-school time (something to look forward to or to dread, depending on your perspective). Programs and classes at schools and community centres, which were shut down or reduced during the summer, start up again. There are opportunities to learn new things and get back into routines. September often feels as much like a new year as January.
And then there are the colours, the yellows, oranges, and reds of fall foliage.
As with so much in life, autumn is both about endings and about beginnings. I am reminded there is something special and unique about all the seasons of our lives.
What does autumn mean to you?
6 Comments
Jacqueline Gum
September 9, 2015 at 8:32 amI miss fall. Living in the south there really isn’t fall season. It is by far my favorite time of year. Your beautiful pictures made me nostalgic
Donna Janke
September 10, 2015 at 1:42 pmJacquie, your comment reminds me that we often don’t appreciate what we have. I know others who miss having changing seasons as well.
Linda
September 9, 2015 at 11:05 amFall is my favorite time of year. As a schoolgirl, I was always excited about starting the new school year–the fresh look and smell of new school supplies, some new outfits, shoes—-wow! Definitely better than January. That excitement transferred to my teaching days as well, especially setting up the classroom— everything shiny and organized. I never slept well the night before. As a child I was eager to see old schoolmates and later in my teaching days, it was the anticipation of new students that disrupted the sleep.
Donna Janke
September 10, 2015 at 1:43 pmLinda, I too looked forward to the new school year.
Jeri Walker (@JeriWB)
September 11, 2015 at 9:40 amI love when the mornings start to cool down because then I can get my jogging in a bit later. I also love how the air starts to turn crisp, but I don’t like how the days gradually start to shorten and it always makes me wish daylight savings time didn’t exist. Both years I lived down South, I did an autumnal drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The colors of all the trees were mind-boggling.
Donna Janke
September 12, 2015 at 10:11 amJeri, I agree about the mornings. I had lovely walks today and yesterday.