Do you have a favorite season of the year? If so, which one and why?
After a long winter, I welcome the spring for the flowers, milder temperatures and the pleasure to see the grass again. Though summer sports and vacations have their appeal, the extreme heat and humidity can be too much for me. Yes, winter has its wonderland days, but at my age the fun of making snowmen, igloos, and having snow ball fights has sort of passed. Now it’s more fear of driving in the snow, clearing off cars, and shivering any time I go out the door.
So, my favorite season is fall. It always has been for many reasons. As the summer drags on I wait at the special gate of autumn. The gate door opens with the cooler nights, milder days, and fall back in time for the extra hour to sleep.
Once I’m through the gate, I see the leaves on the trees start to change to brilliant colors near my home. You not only see their beauty, but you smell the earthy goodness, too. I always treasure trips with my hubby to the orchards to pick autumn apples. We make compote, pies, and just savor the special yumminess of autumn varieties. This orchard we go to also has the best cider, which they use to make special donuts. Ahhh, these donuts taste so good with a cup of coffee. Often in the autumn we eat them for breakfast by a campfire. Camping on weekends in fall is superb. For some reason it is then when I feel closest to nature, and my maker.
I remember as a kid through 21 years old looking forward to the new school year. It’s funny, you can dread school most of the time, but come September it is exciting to make that progress one grade higher. You see more friends, buy new clothes, and are excited by new things to learn. Now as a middle-age adult, I enjoy watching the kids standing on the corners for their buses with their back packs on. Occasionally I visit my alma mater and remember the freedom of total independence. Great memories!
I happen to have seasonal mood shifts as a result of my bipolar disorder. I do get early spring mood elevation, but my moods then tend to fall and level off slightly down in the summer. Then the autumn sensory delight begins to lift me up again. Looking back at many years, autumn is when I’m at my healthiest, mentally and physically. I’m most motivated to get out and exercise. I eat better than usual and savor the goodness of each moment. It is at this time I like to call my ultimate “normal”, a normal just a touch above the rest.
At the end of autumn, with leaves on the ground, I feel and smell the slight nippiness in the air. That crisp coolness refreshes my whole body when breathed in. I feel cozy in my fleece jacket. Then comes October 31st, which is not just Halloween, but the first night we light our fireplace. We sprawl out on the floor with pillows next to the fire and hear the crackling of the burning logs. It is the start of the holiday season, but not the most stressful part. No, there is still a month to go before the real rat race begins.
As the cold days come I go back to my nook and lock the gate again.
You weave pictures with your posts!
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That’s so nice of you to write, Vandana! I love telling stories. Mostly true stories. I guess my dad sort of taught me how to really make a simple story a little bit more flowery and interesting.
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Yes! true stories like your’s are what always inspire me to appreciate this wonderful world! Your dad is an amazing person..he reminds me of my grandmother. I guess special people give us those special magical gifts that are marvellous and last a lifetime! Have a beautiful day!
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You have a beautiful day, too, Vandana!
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Mmmm apple cider. I love fall too just for that reason and the colors.
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It’s funny. I don’t really like raw apples (though hubby LOVES them), but cooked, as cider or in donuts. Yum!
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I have a friend who is the exact opposite. Can eat apples raw but won’t touch them in cooked form. Humans are so odd, lol
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True
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The fall is my favorite season! Your pictures caught my eye, because I love fall so much. So I just had to stop by and see what it was about! 🙂 Great post!
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Thank you, jennymarie4! What a wonderful thing that fall is coming up before we know it.
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I know, I’m already excited! I like when August is here, because that means fall is right around the corner 🙂
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I feel the same way.
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Where i live (UAE) summers are so brutal that i wish for winters all year long.
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I can imagine that. May I ask if other than just the temperatures, is there something else about winters that really appeal to you?
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Umm oranges.. getting to wear funky Actually give me the right temperature everything else will appeal to me 🙂
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Funky socks*
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Snap! I love autumn too. And I have to say, autumn in the states rocks all over autumn in Aus. The colours of the trees, the pumpkins in the yards, the pie…….. (we did an autumn down in the Deep South one year and I left my heart behind).
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I’m so glad you got visit the U.S. during that time of year. I like pumpkins, too.
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Especially in pie!!
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Yum!
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Small steps my friend. Breathe in the air, marvel at the beauty of each moment God has given us. Find True Joy deep inside for happiness as you’ve seen, is fleeting, emotional – but Joy is anchored to the soul. If I came through the gate, I know you can too! ❤
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Thank you, Ellie. I’ll take those small steps forward. It’s starting to happen.
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I love spring and autumn best but alas I only have two seasons where I know live both hot just wet and dry..But I do miss the fall and the spring bulbs..but you can’t have it all 🙂
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I hope you can sometime travel to a place that boasts the splendor of these two seasons. Thanks for reading!
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I hope to in the spring..fingers crossed 🙂
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Girl, you are like me. I am a Fall girl. I don’t like too much heat or too much cold. Balance is always better and the extreme heat here has nearly fried my brain cells. I sure can’t wait for the weather to change. I’m right at the gate with you. Lovely post 🙂
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Thank you, jacqueline. I already feel autumn trying to come. I hope it continues without any brief returns to summer. I hope you enjoy the changing of the seasons soon, too.
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Thank you, jacqueline, for including this post among your features! I’d be so happy to be waiting at that gate with you.
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Fall is such a magical time…
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Roda, that’s a great way to describe it. To me it’s a holiday for the senses.
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I agree!! Happy September 1st! 🍁
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You weaved such a beautiful picture, that I could almost imagine how it would look there. Enjoy 🙂
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Thank you, Winfire! I hope you get to do some wonderful autumn activities, too.
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I hope so, provided there is good autumn and winter’s here 😉
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I agree, I love fall! My favorite season depends on when you ask me (in the winter I will say spring, in the summer, I will say fall), but I think fall edges out the rest to be the top. Warm cider, cool air, crunching leaves, bonfires, hayrides… THE BEST!
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Bonfires sound great! I think in my Waiting At The Gate for Autumn post I mentioned that my hubby and I traditionally light our fireplace for the first time on October 31st.
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