Of all the seasons, I have to admit that I like fall the best (especially the month of October).  The summer heat is giving way to cool mornings and evenings, the A/C has been turned off, I have replaced the glass in the storm door with screens, and sleeping with the windows open is one of life’s secret joys.

All around the landscape, the color palette is changing.  The mountains to the west of town are slowly turning from emerald green to shades of red, orange, and yellow.  Blooming mums provide pops of color in front of houses and in yards.  The fields of tall corn are being harvested, once again revealing large, open expanses of rolling farmland.  Steam rises off of the ponds and lakes in the early morning, creating an ethereal, mysterious landscape.

It is the time of year for leisurely walks along the C&O Canal, weekend festivals, Friday night football games and firepits , Sunday drives to nowhere, crunching leaves under my feet, and long afternoon naps in my office recliner – listening to it rain against the windows.

It’s the time of year for slow roasted pork for Sunday dinner, apple butter slathered onto a thick slice of toast, pumpkins and squash, warm cider and fresh-baked pies, or a piping hot cup of homemade soup.

It is the season of sweatshirts and flannels, quilts and comforters, broken-in boots and well-worn sweaters.

In other words, it’s a little slice of heaven.

Get out and enjoy it while it’s here.