October

Nothing says "autumn" like October.  Yes, it's really here.  The warm late days of September have past. The wind has picked up and shifted, bringing the cool crisp air that one expects on a fall day.  It's inevitable now; one can end September on a warm note, but the last days of October will bring falling leaves, foreshadowing the winter days to come.

The heat went on last night.  Sweaters are cleaned, folded and waiting to be worn.  Flannel pajamas replace their lighter, sheerer brethren.  Winter jackets are on notice; soon, they too will be called into service.

Pumpkins and gourds line the tables of farmer's markets.  Corn stalks stand at attention, awaiting purchase.  Bales of hay are at the ready.  Wide varieties of apples make colorful, bushel-filled displays.  Cider, both warm and cold, is offered to the browsing shopper.

The harvest moon hangs low, illuminating the earth with golden splendor.  Images of witches, ghosts and goblins fill the stores.  Black and orange are heralded as the colors of the season, along with the gold, red and earth-toned fashions available for purchase.

It is a thoughtful time of year, this harvest season.  Even in difficult times, things somehow seem right, at least with Mother Nature.  Seasons keep coming and going, offering the promise of hope.  Winter, with all of her challenges, will come.  The earth becomes purified and readied by its freezing.  And then, the renewal of spring gradually drifts toward summer.

 This is life! This is creation in all it's goodness!  And it is very good, indeed.