Welcome Fall

By K. L. Bridgewater

Four weeks ago on August 29, I talked about saying good-bye to summer, and I found my passion for writing again. But today, however, I want to talk about one of my two favorite seasons, which started this week. FALL! Just the idea of fall brings a smile and a shiver to my body.

My four favorite fall things are:

       1.) Color- Every where you look there is a vibrant of autumn colors. Browns. Red. Oranges. Yellow. The leaves change color on the trees, showcasing God's handiwork. The pumpkins are all ablaze in their vibrant orange color, begging to be picked and used as decorations or to be carved into a unique scene. I love going to the pumpkin patch and picking the one, which is perfect for carving and having all aglow in my living room. I love decorating the house with leaves and berries mixed with the pumpkins and scented candles.

     2.) Cooler weather- I love cold weather, so I become excited when it is time to put the shorts and t-shirts away, and you get to remove the sweaters and jeans out of the closet. I love walking outside, hearing the crunch of the leaves under your feet and smelling the chill in the air. I take huge gulps of crisp air, lingering outside as much as I can. As much as I don't mind mowing grass, I truly enjoy raking leaves into a mountain of brown nuggets of fun. My boys and I jump into the pile and throw the leaves around. Moments of joy and laughter expel from our front yard as we enjoy this fall tradition.

      3.) Covered Bridge Festival- In Parke County, Indiana, for an entire week in October, there is a huge Covered Bridge Festival. Parke County features 31 different covered bridges. In Bridgeton, Mansfield, and Rockville, they have huge festivals with food vendors and tents. The tents and stores along the city sell homemade items and name brand stuff at a great discount. Plus, all the houses on the main roads to the festival are filled with yard sales galore. As a huge avid of yard sales, I'm always looking out for a bargain. I spend the whole week shopping with my husband, kids, aunt, and in-laws. Even my mother-in-law, aunt, and I take a girl day and shop during the week. Great fun! I usually shop for Christmas gifts and clothes for the kids for next year. I have a budget, which I stick to. One of my most coveted food item is a soft pretzel hand-created by the Amish. Yum!  I get one or two every year. I'm drooling already. I can't wait. A couple of years ago, I found a first edition of Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis. Great find! I love finding book treasures for myself or to give as gifts.

     4.) Holidays- In October, Halloween comes, and in November, Thanksgiving and my birthday. I enjoy decorating the house for fall and Halloween mixed together. Picking out the kids trick-or-treat costumes is a huge blast. This year, I found Mario and Luigi costumes at a yard sale for three dollars, which made my youngest two really excited. Even though I know a lot of Christians don't like trick-or-treating, my kids go because when I was growing up I never went, and I hated sitting at home while my friends got tons of candy. No fun! So I make sure my children enjoy this fun holiday, plus they get to stay up late and walk around outside in the dark with flashlights. What could be better!
       
        Thanksgiving is also a fun holiday because every five to six years, my birthday actually falls on Thanksgiving. I enjoy sitting around with the family, eating turkey, and pie. We don't watch football at my house. We watch hockey, but hockey players have thanksgiving off, so there is no game. The children watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, while heavenly aromas of the turkey, sweet potatoes, and veggies mixed with the nutty smell of pumpkin, chocolate, and peanut butter pie filtered through the house.

I hope you enjoyed writing my favorite things about fall. What are your favorite things about fall? Comment below. Tell me what you like. Let's be thankful that God gives us such a fun season to relax after the harsh summer.