Fall in Love with Fall by Alison Henderson

It's fall! To get you in the mood, I thought I'd share some of the glorious glass pumpkins one of the local artists here makes every year.

I've always loved fall. For most people spring is the season of renewal. For me it was always fall. I was one of those horrid, geeky children who looked forward to the new school year with anticipation instead of dread. Summer in Kansas City was hot, and no matter how many activities my mother signed me up for, summer was invariably boring. School was my thing, my purpose. The new school year brought a new teacher, a few new classmates, new activities, and new things to learn.

To me, fall also marked the beginning of the holiday season. No more long stretches with nothing to look forward to. September marked the start of school. My birthday is in early October. November brings Thanksgiving. And then there's Christmas. Who wouldn't love fall? It's four months of non-stop excitement!

I've also always loved fall weather. The cooler, crisper air used to energize me after the hot, humid dog days of summer. Now that we've moved to coastal California, things are a bit different. The days are shorter, sure, but September is historically the warmest month, and evenings are cool year-round. The natural changes of fall are much more subtle here. There are a few deciduous trees, but most plants look much the same. You have to look more closely to notice which plants are blooming and which are starting to settle down for the winter. We're heading into our second fall here, and I wonder how long it will take to adjust. Autumn has a different kind of beauty by the sea.

Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com
http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com