Counting Down to the First Hints of the Autumn Season

Summer is upon us and I find myself thinking of the Autumn season. When I was a child, I loved the opening days of summer, as that meant the public pool would be open and I could swim the summer afternoons away. It also meant no school and that was exciting. However, after suffering a bout of sunstroke while dancing around a maypole one May Day, summer and I turned out to be not the best of friends. Bugs; lizards and snakes; places without air conditioning; places with too much air conditioning; extreme heat; and the restlessness of muggy days and evenings; have all contributed to this disdain.

So I count down the days to the first hints of Autumn — a welcome crispness in the air; the promise of scarlet, rust, and gold-colored leaves; pumpkins on doorsteps; hay rides; a yen for pumpkin spiced latte; and hot chocolate. 

There is something so magical about Autumn that the other seasons cannot emulate.  Autumn has its own intimacy. Camaraderie and closeness whispers on the Autumn breeze. Senses come alive, such as the sound of walking on rustling leaves, twigs, and acorns; the smell of cinnamon , apple, pumpkin, cranberry, nutmeg, and allspice; the sound of the wind ; the taste of hot cider and a roasted turkey.  Maybe its the scents of Autumn that make one think of home that holds Autumn so dear to our hearts. I must say though that people just seem kinder when Autumn comes around. Maybe its because its the season for remembering that for which we are grateful for. For me, Autumn holds all these things.

Jim Bishop said it best, “Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons.”

As I swelter in 100+ degrees of heat, I will keep dreaming of the Autumn season and all its magic and maybe before I know it, it will be upon us. One can only hope. 

(Featured top image credit: Photo by Rebekka D. is available under the Creative Commons CCO 1.0 license on Pixabay.com.)