Waiting for the Fall

Yesterday I could smell it in the air. Autumn is coming. Even though it’s still very much Summer in our neck of the woods (the heat index does not lie) the promise of Fall is everywhere.

It’s in the leaves that are ever so slightly beginning to turn. It’s in the occasional cool breeze. It’s in every “back to school” sale at the mall.

It won’t be long.

Soon we’ll be wearing sweatshirts and raking leaves. Soon we’ll be watching football and sipping hot chocolate. Soon I’ll roll the windows down as I drive to work – the fragrant wind whipping through my hair. Soon we’ll shop for pumpkins and apples at roadside stands. Soon Little Guy will be wearing boots and jeans and tiny flannel shirts to pull his red wagon around in the yard.

Soon.

You might have guessed (and you’d be right)….Autumn is my favorite time of year. It revives me. The crisp air and cooler temps make me feel more alive than any other time of year. The anticipation I’m feeling is sweet. The rakes are hanging on their pegs in the garage. The football schedule is stuck to the refrigerator with a big chicken magnet. My “Fall” playlist is already in the iPod (yes, I do build season specific playlists – just one of my weird little quirks, I assure you).

I’m ready, whenever Mother Nature is.

I’m not trying to wish away what’s left of my summer though. I’m really not. I do love summer, but the older I get, the less I enjoy the intense heat it brings. The sweat, the sunburns, the humidity. Yuck. And the years of lounging around on the beach in a bikini are far FAR behind me. Now, the Summer makes me just want to be inside, surrounded by the false cool of the AC. I find myself longing for an October “staycation” and lazy days spent napping in a hammock. Not that hammock napping will be on my schedule. With a two year old, that nap would last maybe 1 minute. Oh, but one can dream, right?

So our plans for this Fall? The big festival in my home-town…. The “Big Game” at Hubby’s college Home Coming… A trip to the local orchard so Little Guy can pick some apples and go on a hayride… Homemade chili in big ceramic mugs… Popcorn balls and caramel apples….. Costumes and candy for Halloween… Hanging out on the back deck - a hefty mystery novel in one hand, warm cider in the other…. Little Guy jumping into piles of leaves…. Windows open to let the cool air rejuvenate our home…. We’ll delve into the deep recesses of our closets and pull out warmer clothes. My favorite Fall uniform of worn jeans and soft sweater will be back in heavy rotation…

In other words, we’ve got simple plans. Plans to live every day to it’s fullest. We’re going to embrace the awesomeness of the season ahead so that when the next one rolls around, we’ll have some warm memories to comfort our chilly Winter selves.

Note: All photos via Bing! Images