Contemplating the Seasons

Photo by Maria - Fall 2007

So here we are smack dab in the beginning of a new Fall Season in the Garden State. Incredibly some leaves on the trees are turning a golden reddish hue and in some cases, they're falling off the trees already.

I'm not ready for falling leaves. But I have been known to rake if need be.

Raking leaves reminds me of two of my most favorite people, my late grandparents Mary & Walter. Nanny & Poppy.

We always raked leaves together. Back then you could burn them in a pile in the street which Poppy did, while Nanny kept us away at a ridiculously safe distance. Sweet.

Fall smelled of changing and burning leaves, pumpkin and apple pie, back to school, cheer leading and football, hot chocolate and Nanny & Poppy.

Ahhhh pumpkin and apple pies. I'm burning two candles right now and they're driving me crazy. One is pumpkin spice and the other is apple pie. My house smells like a heavenly bakery.

I wish I knew how to bake really yummy pies. I suppose I could always learn. I had to learn to love pies as I grew up. I wasn't very fond of spicy and tart foods - I liked things bland and simple.

It wasn't until I got much older that I developed a palate.

Maybe I'll even attempt to bake a pumpkin pie this year : p

I found the biggest pine cone in my back yard the other day. There are dozens of pine trees behind the house and typically their cones are average size at best. The one I found was at least six inches long! Somebody told me that means that we're going to have a rough Winter and although he was a real ass - I think he might be right. Ugggggghhhh.

We've been through rough Winters before, we'll get through them again.

There is definitely something wonderful about the changing of the seasons.

Maybe the seasons change to remind us to change with every fresh, crisp start. They change and help us remember when really important stuff happens during our lives. You know, so that every moment doesn't bleed into everything else.

To me, seasons are a cyclical reminder on a grand scale from Mother Earth that none of our existence is static. It's organic. It's changing all the time. Maybe we should too.

The Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring of it all has it's significance otherwise it wouldn't exist, right? It couldn't possibly be just about the weather. Could it?

Photo by Maria - Fall 2007