Autumn....

I love this time of the year. Many know I'm a winter gal - I'll settle for a blizzard over a heat wave any day. But fall really is a special time - I think because in some ways it's so short, but in others it's very long.

The Autumnal Equinox is on September 22nd and the Winter Solstice December 21st, making the "season" last for three months. But most of the time people think of fall as only until Thanksgiving, then the Christmas rush is all over the place. I'll spend another day talking about how the Christmas rush annoys me, but for now I'm sticking to fall.

I say it's short and long because it's such a transitional season. When you think of fall, often you think of 70 degrees, sunny and all the trees afire in reds, golds and umbers. But that's the short part. I like the variations in fall, the warmer days when the leaves are still green and flowers still blooming. And the later parts that are mistaken for winter when the days are cold and everything has just started to go into hibernation and the trees have become skeletal.

I think part of the reason I love fall is that to me it's a huge time for change, because the season is all about change. This year, change abounds as I am switching jobs, set our wedding date and taking the jersey girl out of jersey. Also, I feel fall really is the "start" of the year for me, partially because I'm used to school years, but also every job I've had has been on a fiscal year that starts in the fall and ends in the spring. So "new" has become synonymous with fall for me. In the past, working on a college campus, I think September really brought that home. I watched the students come back and it made me long for the days when I was excited about buying school supplies, seeing friends after summer break and pulling out sweatshirts from my closet.

Then October hits, and I start closing my windows at night, bring my slippers out from under my bed to keep my toes warm around the house. I get cravings to spend hours in the kitchen...baking muffins, simmering soups and making chili, stews and roasts while the whole house smells like garlic and onions, or cinnamon and apples. We plan camping trips, that occasionally get rained out and send us to the movies instead. I go apple picking, and pumpkin picking and go for hayrides and leaf peeping trips. As I've gotten older, Halloween means less about finding my costume, and more about seeing my niece and "nephews" dressed up. And eventually I put away my sandals, as the first frost covers the lawns, and my car.

Fall is also a great time for melancholy. Although I am a pretty happy and upbeat person, I find that nostalgia, and brooding have their place, and fall is a great time for this. Taking out old photo albums and reminiscing about friendships that have gone awry, family members that have passed away and opportunities missed, while sipping tea and snacking on cheese and breads are great ways to spend the cold rainy days of fall.

The smell of decomposing leaves is one of my favorite smells to this day, and I miss it where we currently live, as my daily outsideness consists of parking lots as opposed to front lawns. But every time I drive and see the leaves changing colors, and smell the crisp air I fall in love.