Autumnal Ruminations

Yesterday M & I drove to Pomona, NY with the intention of apple picking. Since it started raining (and was chilly chilly chilly) we decided to just hit the Orchards of Concklin farmer's market. Upon walking through the doors, the market smelled like a combination of apple cider, cinnamon donuts and fallen leaves. Oh Mama, I'm in Heaven!

Autumn has been my favorite time of year ever since I was a child *. Growing up, my father paid my sibs and I $1 for every garbage bag of leaves we raked up in our front yard -- that is until he realized we were not filling the bags completely to make more cash. Anyway. Before putting the leaves into the garbage bags, we always raked gigantic piles of leaves and took turns jumping in. We had zero qualms about getting dirty, or about bugs -- just the perfect soft crunch of leaves beneath us.

The older I get though, the more I hear whiny New Yorkers giving Autumn a bad rep."You think this is cold, wait a few more weeks..." or "This is just the beginning of the end." Waaaah waaaah waaah.

Can't we let the Fall exist on its own without the negative attachment to Winter? Sure, Fall is short-lived, especially in Upstate, NY (shout out to my Rochester peeps!) where today there are leaves and tomorrow there is snow. For now though, the leaves are still turning, the kids are still picking out their perfect costumes, and the cider is piping hot. Put on some gloves and enjoy already!

* To make my obsession with Fall even worse, only three days separate Halloween from my birthday in November. Dressing up in costume, getting immense amounts of chocolate and still having enough candy left over three days later when I get presents and cake?? What's not to like??