IT'S HERE! AUTUMN AIR AND COOLER DAYS...Feels like it's finally fall!

This post is for my fellow "Lover of Fall," Flavel! It's HERE Flav! YAY!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....."AUTUMN"....what a lovely word. The leaves will soon be turning to bright shades of gold, red, orange and all variations thereof.
This is "my season." Many folks look so forward to spring. I enjoy spring and the whole notion of rebirth, blossoms, blooming and coming out of the doldrums of winter.
My approach to autumn, however, is important to me in the context that I use it. It is a time of harvest. I can look back on the previous seasons and assess them. I still have time in the year to make corrections, changes and improvements. I can harvest the good that I have planted in the months previous and ask myself "if I have done enough." Frankly, I don't think we can ever "do enough," but to take the inventory is certainly important.
Many shifts happen when autumn arrives. We shift to a slower pace as the days become shorter. We seem to stick closer to home and all the joys that "being at home" bring.
There is a massive vanilla moon that has risen over the soy bean fields tonight. The temperature is chilly and the fresh cup of coffee is the perfect touch to just sit and reflect.
This has been a tough year personally and nationally. Yet, we have SO many blessings. We have SO many things to be thankful for. I am happy. I am at peace. I am in good health. I am blessed with THE most wonderful family and friends that anyone could ever imagine. Those are gifts. Those are precious commodities. Perhaps the stock market doesn't factor those things in their accounting of where this country stands, but I do! Taking stock in the good parts of life that have nothing to do with money, greed, those who choose to be unhappy are also important. Folks who are greedy, money hungry, willing to harm others to support their greed habit are a drain on everything around them. It's safe to assume that everyone in the nation is watching what greed has done to us as individuals and as a country. We DO have the choice to refuse to participate in it. Ever considered that? I choose to stay away from that kind of toxicity. Autumn is a good time to look back and see if I have made the changes necessary to remove toxins from my life as well. So, the time of harvest is a perfect time to retreat from the bondage of negativity.
I look at each change of season as an opportunity to look back and look ahead. I can now take stock that this beautiful season gives a sense of freedom. You can even breathe more easily with the cool, crisp fall air! Thoughts turn to mornings that you wish you had added an extra blanket the night before and even the first chills of waking up to fall mornings give me a feeling of being ALIVE!
It won't be long until the foods become better tasting when they have simmered in a pot all day and a meal is made with whatever was simmering and a nice loaf of bread. Simplicity!
Weekends can be spent reading, catching up on things you wish to do for SELF before the year comes to a close. There are always wonders of nature, harvest festivals and plenty to do. The colors of autumn are so earthy, warm and comforting and offer a peace that no other season gives to me.
The first hints of wood burning stoves start to waft out into the air, folks burning leaves, churches who have fund raisers of Brunswick stews, chicken suppers and pancake breakfasts start to turn up everywhere!
Autumn is also a time to re-visit those resolutions you swore you'd keep this past January! (Remember those?) I remember mine. There was only one and it was simple. I resolved not to make any resolutions.
In other words, I resolved to "be me." In doing so, I am free from self sabotage, free to make choices and free to change my mind. I am not "bound" to statements that I made to tons of people and then have them "notice" that I didn't drop those extra pounds that I resolved I would.
(Speaking of those extra pounds, I think I have some mini Milky Way bars that I bought for Halloween.) I always buy the candy because I know I won't have any trick-or-treaters, so we just TREAT OURSELVES. Good thinking, huh? I kinda like that take on things. I just want to be good and prepared. You never know when one little goblin might show up! I seriously doubt, however, the Milky Way bars will make it that long, sadly. Glad I also bought those mini Baby Ruths. Whew! (They were twofers...now how can you pass up a twofer on CHOCOLATE?)
It is AUTUMN! Rejoice, celebrate, GO OUTSIDE AND BREATHE DEEP! Look at the moon, stars, the silhouettes of the trees and look at life as we enter the third season in all its glowing beauty and glory.
It's here! AUTUMN IS HERE! Forget about the pressures, the politics, the irritants of too much noise, too much news and too much bickering in the political and financial aspects of "life in America" right now. That's what I'm going to do...at least for this stunningly gorgeous night. It's time to drag out George Winston cds...a great choice to relax by...or Danny Wright's Phantasies or Autum Dreams cd. Any of those put you right into "an autumnal" (great word alert!) frame of mind.
Now, I'm heading back outside to enjoy my coffee and listen to the night....
Till next time,
Annie

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