Step into Autumn

Summer is nice but I absolutely love Autumn. The air has a different feel, a different smell, and even though fall is a prelude to the end of the year and winter, I have always felt it was a beginning.

The kids are back in school and all those groups and activities that break for the summer are starting up again. Some of my fall feelings are more memory that actuality, it’s my grandchildren returning to school, and I’m not much of a joiner so have no groups to go back to.

I remember when the kids were younger and the schools offered night school classes in different hobbies and interests. That was when I first took up pottery, a course I took every year so I had access to the kiln and the studio. Then there was macramé, sewing, and let’s not forget the ceramics.

Family and friends always knew what hobby I was into by the home made gifts they received. That’s a habit I still have, making things for people, but I’m pretty well limited to knit and crochet now.

Living in a small town, fall is the season for the country fall fairs. Almost every weekend there’s a fall fair being held, just a nice country drive away. Our town doesn’t do a fall fair as we have a big Waterfront Festival on the July long weekend, but most of the neighbouring towns do.

I love a drive in the country at this time of year, to see the colours change on the trees, to stop at roadside stands for the last of this year’s harvest.

I love the smell of burning leaves. Not much for physical labour I would take one day at minimum to rake leaves and watch them burn. There’s something calming, something...I don’t know what exactly, but I love to stand by that pile of leaves, tending the fire, poking at it, raking more leaves in to feed the flames, smelling that smell that’s more than smoke. Old memories, and activities lost to the young as you need permits to have an open fire etc., etc.

Never have tried one, but I like to see the Corn Mazes spread across the field, another sign of fall.

And last, I love that fall is apple picking time, as there’s nothing better than a house filled with the smell of apples baking in a pie, a cake, a tart, whatever, especially with the added taste and aroma of cinnamon.

I need to call my friend and see if she’s up for a day trip. I want to buy some apples and bake.