Things I Love About Fall

I realize it\’s a bit hard to take, this changing of the seasons. We\’ve been so fortunate though, don\’t you agree, with this long-lasting autumn.

In fact, here at the log house, I\’m hanging onto autumn, and trying my best to politely ignore the season soon to follow it. Though it\’s far from a full-out onslaught at this time, I can sense the coming of it, thus I\’m devoting this Monday morning to a celebration of the passing of autumn.

Right now, in these days of gorgeous colors, it isn\’t difficult, and I count what I love most about fall, including. . .

This small grove of larches in my yard. Did you know that the larch is the only coniferous tree which loses it\’s leaves each fall. I love these larches through all the seasons, but especially fall, when these needles turn a beautiful bright yellow, quite unlike the hue of  any other tree. The show is brief, but incredibly intense.

Wee likes to point out to our friends that the soft needles were once used as diapers by natives. It\’s true, the needles are so soft, you can easily imagine it.

Fall rides. Free of most insects, full of the sounds of migrating birds and still deliciously warm.

The wild rose bushes pressed up against the rail fence my boyfriend helped me build a few years ago. Or was it vice versa? I remember holding nails, and running for beer, that counts doesn\’t it?

The beginning of volleyball season, with all it\’s hopes and triumphs.

The look of this. Not only because it\’s visually poetic, but for the reminder it brings that liberation from gardening and yardwork is just around the corner.

And this kind of thing. I\’m lovin\’ this corner of the yard right now.

The beginnings of hairing up for winter.

Harvest moons. Brilliant!

Leaves and pretty fall toques.

This one loves fall most, due to the higher liklihood of hitting the back roads for a walk. And, a few hundred tosses of whatever stick she can wrangle up.

The sound and sight of this. We have a small lake nearby so we have a lot of migrating birds through. There are a number of duck blinds near it\’s perimeter. I once rode down and tacked up Far Side cartoons on the inside wall of each blind. You know the one where the ducks are in the blind and the decoys are cutouts of naked ladies. . . my horse and I laughed all the way home.

It was actually very funny. You had to be there.

This gal spends a good portion of fall, (aka hunting season which brings with it the sounds of various firearms), hiding behind here. That is, when she\’s not making a mad dash across the pasture to the safety of the neighbour\’s barn, as I\’m yelling \”You! Git home!\” at her from the road.

I like this kid in just about any season, but I thought I\’d throw her in here too.

She likes autumn for the leaf factor.