At last!  As of this past Thursday, we have officially entered my favorite season of the year – fall!

Do I write a blog about autumn every year?  Yes – and why?  Because it is the perfect season.  Living in the mid-Atlantic region allows me to enjoy each and every part of the annual cycle.  It is cold and snowy in the winter, spring brings life-giving rain as new growth bursts across the landscape, while even summer has its pleasures, with hot days and warm nights.

But deep down in my bones, I look forward to these next few months every year with great anticipation.  The weather is just beginning to show signs of change, as cooler mornings and shorter days will soon bring on the glorious hues of autumn.  The mountains and forests around my home will soon become a kaleidoscope of color, showcasing every shade of yellow, orange, and red.  The flowing fields of corn are transforming into their late-season tans and browns, and in the coming weeks, they will be harvested into winter feed for the local dairy cows (with a few extra stalks saved for creating shocks to decorate yards and porches) or carved into corn mazes for exploring.

Wagon rides to pumpkin fields are popping up all over, and children giggle with glee as they pick out the perfect specimens to carve into Halloween jack-o-lanterns.  Cooler weather means long sleeves, sweatshirts, and a comfortable pair of jeans, worn on a Saturday afternoon to a tailgate party before the big college football game.  Sundays are meant for long afternoon naps under flannel sheets and quilted blankets, listening to the cool rain plink off of the windowsills.

It’s the season for apple butter slathered over a warm piece of toast, rich and hearty braised stews, and clutched mugs of warm cider while sitting next to an outdoor fire-pit, staring mindlessly into the dancing flames.  It’s the season for weekend fall festivals, parades, and craft shows.  It’s the last chance for a slow canoe trip on a glassy pond or a solitary bike ride along a well-worn forest path.

Honeycrisp apples and roasted butternut squash.

Pot roast and pumpkin pie.

A glass of red wine and a good book, read in an old, stuffed chair by a corner window.

Homecoming games and crunching leaves underfoot.

In short?  Its twelve weeks of blissful existence, served up with a cinnamon and nutmeg-scented bow.

Get out there and enjoy it.