The Beauty of Fall
Yesterday I had a costume emergency, so I’m a day late. Forgive me, please. Anyway, it’s finally feeling like fall here in Georgia, and since it’s my favorite season, well, I couldn’t resist talking about it. After a Georgia summer of 90’s and 100’s, autumn is always a welcome relief. The afternoons this week have been perfect for painting (my house) and I’m making much better progress than I did in the summer.
Then there’s the trees. I grew up in Western New York. We also spent a lot of time in Vermont. I spent two falls attending college in the Adirondack mountains. The northeast is maple syrup country. The falls there are spectacular. Breathtaking. Unforgettable. The display here in Georgia is far more subtle. Reserved. There are no sugar maples to blaze orange when they turn. That’s one of the reasons maple syrup country has such beautiful displays.
But it’s not just the cooler weather and beautiful foliage displays that make fall my favorite. It’s like the time of day when the supper dishes are done. The daily chores are finished and it’s time to relax before bedtime. It’s the time of year you get to go ahhhh and slow down a bit. It’s the time of year I enjoy being outside the most. There are still chores to be done, but it’s not like cutting grass when it’s 95 degrees outside with 70% humidity. Raking leaves in the fall is far more pleasant. I consider it a form of meditation. Getting up wood for the coming winter (yes, we still heat our house with wood) feels more like fun than a chore.
As somewhat of an introvert (and that mostly means that I need alone time to recharge vs. extroverts who get charged up by being around people), I find fall to be a season of recharging. The grandchildren are back in school, the highway isn’t filled with vacationers coming to or leaving Florida, and since it gets dark and chilly early, I have a little extra time in the evening for writing, crocheting, reading (minus the costume emergencies, of course!), and working on my somewhat feeble attempts at art.
At 60, I feel like I’m in the fall of my life and I’m loving it. It’s a great place to be. I have lived a really good spring and summer, and now I get to do more of the things I want to do without all the hurry up and get on to the next thing that my younger years seemed to require. I have the time to savor and enjoy the small things even more. I can appreciate a beautiful afternoon of house painting and the feeling of accomplishment when I finish for the day.
Let’s get the wood stacked on the porch. Winter can’t be too far behind!
Do you have a favorite season? Share it with us in the comments!
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Dear Carol!
Congratulations to your blog – it’s very personal, and it’s always good to read about your thoughts 🙂 I miss the evenings in our E.A. kitchen sitting in front of the fire place and listening to the songs of John Denver, James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot… Life seemed to be rather easy those times…
One of my most favorite songs is John Denver’s “Sweet surrender”, Whenever i hear it i imagine a street in late summer or autumn -driving towards a new beginning in spring…:
Lost and alone on some forgotten highway
Traveled by many, remembered by few
Lookin’ for something that I can believe in
Lookin’ for something that I’d like to do with my life
There’s nothin’ behind me and nothin’ that ties me to
Something that might have been true yesterday
Tomorrow is open, right now it seems to be more than enough
To just be here today, and I don’t know
What the future is holdin’ in store
I don’t know where I’m goin’ I’m not sure where I’ve been
There’s a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the livin’, I don’t need to see the end
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air
Lost and alone on some forgotten highway
Traveled by many, remembered by few
Lookin’ for something that I can believe in
Lookin’ for something that I’d like to do with my life
There’s nothin’ behind me and nothin’ that ties me to
Something that might have been true yesterday
Tomorrow is open, right now it seems to be more than enough
Just be here today, and I don’t know
What the future is holdin’ in store
I don’t know where I’m goin’ I’m not sure where I’ve been
There’s a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me
My life is worth the livin’, I don’t need to see the end
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care
Like a fish in the water, like a bird in the air
Sweet, sweet surrender, live, live without care
So as for me, i prefer spring time – symbolizing the ongoing life and a new chance to make things better. And i love to walk barefooted through the grass and feel the shape and the warmness of the earth raising up inside me…
I wish you a fulfilling (fall) weekend! Blyb – heiner
Heiner…the memories come flooding back. What a wonderful place and time to visit-the kitchen full of music and a fire and good friends. I miss that. I love that song too and I can close my eyes and sing along and hear everyone else singing and laughing and feel the love in the room. New beginnings are wonderful. I think Spring usually wins the contest. Especially here in the south with all the blooming trees. I can see you being a Spring person. I can’t help it though, I always fall for Fall! My grandkids are spending the night so I will have wonderful and fulfilling fall weekend. Thanks for sharing that with us! Blyb…c
I love all seasons because it means we are all still on this earth.
Spring with all the beautiful flowers blooming and the baby birds that get a new life. The hummingbirds coming to feast on all the nectar and flying all around my front. Although summer is hot, I enjoy being outside doing chores when I’m able. Fall is beautiful with all the colors everywhere. Winter is a time for snuggling to keep warm with a hot pot of homemade vegetable soup on the stove. Love what the good Lord gives us because we are not promised the next minute. Love to you my good friend, great article.
That’s a beautiful sentiment. I know how beautiful it is at your house when the flowers are blooming! You are truly a woman for all seasons! We should not take any minute for granted, you’re right. Love to you as well.
Autumn. Anywhere I’ve lived, its been my fave season. Walking thru inches of leaves on the sidewalks, crispy nites, the hot days are mostly gone for the year, anticipation of snow and holidays and family.
Jim, That’s what I’m talking about. I love the crispness of the air and the fallen leaves too. To quote a piece of a poem I wrote years ago called November,
“The final remnants
of a spectacular autumn
drift quietly to the ground
making patchwork quilts
alongside the road.”
There’s just something about autumn that makes me very joyful. Remember when we were kids, the smell of burning leaves in the air? Raking up a huge pile of leaves and jumping in? Finally getting to wear your favorite sweater again? Thanks…I enjoyed that walk down memory lane!
I love this Carol. So much truth. I have always loved fall. Even as a child, having to return to school, I didn’t mind. It meant walks down linden Avenue on crisp mornings on my way to Southside School, wearing my favorite moss green sweater knit with love by my mother. After school we would rake the leaves into mazes and play tag, or use them to create imaginary houses (with very low, leafy walls!). Once we raked a pile so high it nearly reached the telephone wires! And the scent of burning leaves, when that was still allowed, wafting In the air. Apple cider, candy corn and Halloween.
The year Maren went off to college, I found it more difficult to enjoy the season. I kept thinking of the Moody Blues song “Forever Autumn” – which is very melancholy, but being an introverted melancholic I kind of reveled in it.
The unusually warm weeks we’ve had recently dulled our fall colors for the most part, with many leaves just turning brown, curling up and falling without ceremony. The Crabapple trees in our yard bore no fruit this year, which saves me from having to pick up a zillion little green apples, but the Northern White Pines are dropping pinecones in earnest, so I guess that makes up for the lack of apples!
Today it’s cold and rainy, and I’m loving it. I can walk in the rain, then shake off the chill with a cup of cinnamon tea and settle into my sewing studio without feeling guilty about being inside on a beautiful day. The sound of laughter from the neighbor’s children will remind me of our childhood autumn antics, and it will warm my heart.
Thank you for reminding me of Autumn’s gifts. Every season is beautiful in its own way, but yes, Autumn will forever be my favorite!
Nancy, your words remind me of what a wondrous childhood we had! “I love to walk to school in Fall, it is my favorite time of all. My sweater is just warm enough in the Fall on Walnut Street.” (From On Walnut Street by yours truly). We had a cold and rainy day yesterday. The grandsons were here and we ate sausage pancakes for breakfast, watched Maleficent, then played a couple games of Sorry! and some new games we got a while ago. It was a warm and snugly change from our usual Saturdays. After they went home, I spent the rest of an un-guilty afternoon on the couch crocheting. Fall has many gifts like this!
Nancy, I just remembered the hat my mom made me when I was in high school. I still have it and I still wear it when it gets cold enough outside. Talking about your sweater made me think of it. I need to get it down from the hat and glove basket…it’s almost time!
I love the lines about your sweater from on Walnut Street! Would you believe I actually wrote a story about the sweater my mother made me for my writing group? My mother made sweaters from the same pattern for my nieces and Maren, and now my grand nieces are wearing them. We have all saved them, but alas, Mom did not save the one she made for me. Funny how much these simple things stay with us. I have to say, there was a guy in my group who said he couldn’t understand how anybody could write a story about a sweater! A very unsentimental guy!!
Nancy, that poor guy in your writers group evidently didn’t grow up on Walnut Street! Boy, did he miss out! I’m so sorry your sweater is not with you today, but I’m sure you enjoy seeing the next generation wearing the love that your mother made. It’s a beautiful thing!
Thanks Carol! You just inspired me! I love the Fall as well! It’s beautiful here in the Pacific Northwest! I loved taking photographs of the Aspen trees in Colorado with my Father!
Very cool to see the post from Heiner! I love John Denver! Hope all is well?!
Cheers!
Thank you, Colleen! Aspens are so beautiful! That sounds like a great memory with your dad. He was such a cool guy! All is well here…as I hope it is with you too. Thanks for stopping by!
Thank you Carol Horton for your insightful view on the Fall in the Southeast. I am sure another difference from the NE and the SE is that in the SE it is 30 one morning and 75 the next day. I too love this time of year. I totally agree with you that it is a more relaxing time of the year and for me a time to reflect. Its that time, when as the leaves are turning, my mind turns to that thought that Thanksgiving and Christmas are not far away. I start thinking about what to get family members and I love starting to shop for toys for about 20 children in my family. I feel like a kid myself as I start the process of thinking about the holidays. I also reflect at this time of year and the upcoming holidays about my parents who are no longer on this Earth but watching over all of us in heaven today. I miss them so much, but have no doubt I am reminded of my mother during these windy fall days. I have three of my mothers wind chimes hanging in my trees. When I sit on my back porch and hear those wind chimes my soul is filled with happy memories of my mother and father and then that red bird appears on the feeder. That was my mothers favorite bird and it just makes my heart smile. Happy Fall Carol Horton! Good luck with the house painting. Enjoy the leaves and relaxing a bit. Thank you for this blog. I am loving it very much.
PS – I am also a woman who loves sports and in particular college football. Fall is also that time of the year for this sport. So I will sign off with a Go Dawgs! Sic em! Woof! Woof! Happy Fall my friend!!!!!!
Susan, I love the thought of sitting on the back porch listening to the chimes…my mom always said she would come back as a red bird so when I see one, I talk to it like it’s my mother! I’m glad you’re enjoying the fall, as I am. Go Dawgs!