Fall

I’ve been eyeing my flannel sheets every time I open the linen closet. It’s the cheery snowman pattern that makes me decide it’s still too soon. But it won’t be long.

Last June I welcomed summer. I wrote that summer was a hippie in Jesus sandals, a popsicle coloured, coconut scented time of late nights and simplicity. But hippies tend to be irresponsible, and the late nights take their toll. Luckily Fall always shows up with a warm pie and a plan to put life back on track. Fall is your friend’s cool mom.

Fall drinks full bodied wine and eats soft cheese on warm baguette. Fall sleeps in a little on Saturdays, and then bakes cinnamon buns.

Fall cleans Summer’s pantry of ketchup chips and gummy worms and fills it with nuts and dense whole grain breads.

Fall is children in bright white running shoes and stiff jeans. A transition to new grades, new schools and new resolve. Even if you haven’t sat in a classroom in 30 years you buy new pens.

Fall has plans to stick to a budget, and watch portion size. It’s hopeful and enthusiastic without New Year’s desperation and official resolutions. Fall plans healthy meals while secretly anticipating the mini chocolate bars at the end of October.

Fall is fading light while you clean up the kitchen, tea on the front steps with someone you love and new episodes of 30 Rock and The Office.

Fall sounds like distant trains and smells like wood smoke. It tosses aside Summer’s trashy novels, and reads something thick and thoughtful while stew simmers on the stove.

Summer is still here for now, sleeping on a deck chair, but it pulls a blanket to its chin in the mornings. We’ve had a wonderful time but I need to buy some pens.

Kim R.

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