Why I Love Autumn

My favorite time of year is now. Autumn. While so many others are bemoaning the end of summer and the cooler temps, I rejoice. I am positively giddy to be free of the 90 plus, humid degrees. To be able to walk outside without immediately bursting into sweat is divine. As I've often told anyone who would listen, swimming is the only thing I can think of that benefits from temps over 70 degrees. Everything else is more pleasant when it's 70 with a nice breeze on a partly cloudy day. In fact, I love coat weather. I know it's odd, but I like wearing coats. Look at my closet and you might think I have as much of a thing for coats as some women do for shoes. I'm not sure why it is, but I just feel more comfortable. Maybe it's just the extra layer between me and the world Or perhaps it's a vanity thing where I feel like I look better. Whatever the reason I am ever so happy for evenings in the 40s & 50s again.

I celebrate the colors of the leaves too. I mean, really, who doesn't? After so many months with only varied shades of green, the trees seem to come alive even as they are going to sleep for the coming winter. And while I often wish the colors would last longer, I guess it would get boring after a while too. Better to have the short, spectacular explosions of reds and yellows, like living fireworks. And even when they fall to the ground. I enjoy walking through them. The crisp sound of them under foot makes me smile. And more than one person has seen me run up and high kick my way through a big pile of leaves. They even make the rain more exciting. The stiff, dry leaves make a rain shower so much louder and more interesting as it drips it's way through the trees and filling the woods with a crackling sound.

So you won't hear me pine for the dog days of summer or shorts weather. Instead, you'll find me shuffling through the leaves, with a henley over a t-shirt or a light coat, and smiling. Did I mention that I love Autumn? :-)