The Best of Autumn
Disclaimer:  I’m a winter baby, so I’m always going to enjoy cool weather over warm weather. You don’t have to agree with me.

Autumn began officially yesterday and lots of wonderful things happen in the fall. Here are a few of my favorite changes fall brings forth:

~ Cool crisp mornings. Stepping outside on these mornings I’m greeted by cool cleansing air without pollen and without late summer dust that turns the horizon brown and settles in a fine layer all over my plants. Cool mornings remind me that soon I’ll need to cover the patio furniture and cut back on watering. I can also turn off the air conditioning and open the windows.

~ It’s the start of the holidays. Some people groan when the holidays roll around. Not me. I enjoy them because I make them work for me. I don’t overdo, overspend, over-commit my resources, and I take time to be with positive, upbeat people who also enjoy the joyous season. The holidays are when entertaining moves into high gear, when pumpkin everything shows up and when Trader Joe’s traditionally sells their Step Up to the Snack Bar Mix.

(Looks like a lot of food events for me!)

~ I reclaim the roads, stores, theaters, etc. After the summer when everything is packed including the highways, fall sees the kids going back to school and most families returning from vacation. Aside from commute hours, the roads are clear, and I can zip across town in no time. In addition, the places I frequent, like the grocery store, theaters, boutiques, etc., are empty. I love the freedom of rarely having to wait in lines or jostle other shoppers.

~ You can wear anything you want. Fall is a time when I am still wearing flip flops (heck, I wear them all year long if it’s not raining), and I might have a jacket on too. You see sweaters or sweats as well as shorts on the same person. Even turtlenecks begin to appear. I love these perfect weather days.

~ Fall is aesthetic. Where can you find more beautiful picture taking opportunities? Especially where I live in wine country. The vineyards are stunning and blanket hillsides with gold and red leaves. The changing seasonal colors are simply beautiful and remind us it’s good to be grateful for this time of year.

Fall doesn’t last long. I plan to enjoy the falling leaves, rain, sweater days, and fires in the fireplace. If you love fall, what are your favorite things about it?