A spectacular autumn

          I think that autumn is my favorite time of year.  It is certainly rivaled by spring, but for me, spring is the beginning of a hectic, busy time of gardening and other outdoor activities.  Autumn, on the other hand, is a time for settling in for a partial and much needed hibernation.  It's the time to put the gardens to bed and to reorganize my indoor space to accommodate more time spent writing, crafting and creating music.  The summer is always a whirlwind of activity with music festivals, parties and lots of  yard work.  I love that too, but by the time fall comes around, I'm ready for a change.  And ... I haven't even mentioned the gorgeous sights and weather that comes with this season.  I always feel rejuvenated by the cooler air and amazing colors in the countryside.  

          Today, it's very windy, which I always find energizing.  The trees, out here in the country, have been changing, and we're surrounded by a sea of mostly yellow in and around our yard.  My drive to and from work is breathtaking, and I was recently shown a beautiful view just a short walk from our house with an array of colors on the hillside.  After writing this, I will go outside, breath the cool air, re-pot and bring in some of my plants that have been enjoying living outside this summer.  I'll pick some of my scarlet runner beans to dry for next year's seeds and harvest the last of our green tomatoes before the first frost.  Then, I'll go for my daily walk.  Later tonight, I'll probably sit by the warmth of the wood stove and read or write in my journal and ready myself for the start of another work week.  This life is good.

          I have always loved every season, and that love of the seasonal changes is one of the things that brought me back to the east coast after living in California and then Oregon - both equally beautiful in their own right.  I've been thinking a lot lately about how I ended up living in upstate New York, not a place I ever would have imagined becoming my home.  But now, I can't imagine myself living anywhere else.