Exploring Creativity, Curiosity, and Conscious Thought

I miss old fashioned Autumn - my favorite season of the year. It's just not the same here in the Phoenix area, although a drive up into the mountains will provide a "fix" for me should I really need to experience my old friend. Maybe it's because I made my appearance in this world amidst the glory of late autumn's finery, and maybe it's because I have such fond memories of the season.

I was one of those somewhat rare children who looked forward to September and the return to school. A chance to learn, a more structured day (I still feel most comfortable when I have a full plate of things to keep me busy...) and of course the opportunity to enjoy cool crisp days without the hot, humid summer haze.

As September gave way to October, Mother Nature would wield her brush and palette with the most amazing reds, oranges, and golds, giving way to crisp browns before the leaves drifted softly to the ground. There were so many afternoons spent gathering them in great fluffy piles, only to be scattered again as we leaped into them with the energy only children can muster so effortlessly. Of course, all good things have to come to an end, and the days of diving into leaf piles gave way to nights filled with the scent of burning leaves as the menfolk performed the annual ritual along the neighborhood alleyways, chatting and sharing a smoke with their neighbors and leaving us kids to muse over the shapes imagined in the flames and wisps of smoke that accompanied them.

October was also filled with myriad rituals and traditions - from collecting the last of the garden's bounty to turning over the soil and cutting back plants and covering them with hay to protect their roots from Winter's frost. We looked forward to Indian Summer - that last burst of warm weather after the first frost, looked up in awe at the Harvest moon, hanging like a paper moon low on the horizon, and spent hours hunting for the perfect jack-o-lantern pumpkin to carve for Halloween. There were costumes to put together (no store-bought simplicity back then - just a trunk of old clothes and shoes, and a lot of imagination!), and parties to plan (having a birthday a week before Halloween has its pluses).

Before we knew it, November's bluster had arrived. The frosts became a little more regular, the winds a little sharper, twirling the few remaining leaves into miniature whirlwinds that would dance across the now brown lawns. You could begin to smell the pungent tang of decay as nature moved slowly into the end of its yearly life cycle, not an entirely unpleasant scent, yet one that will always remind me of the passage of life to its ultimate end. A season of reflection, a knowledge that life's eternal cycles served a purpose in the grand scheme of things, and a time of gratitude for all of our blessings would round out the month as we celebrated Thanksgiving and began our preparations for the upcoming Christmas season.

Yes, I have many wonderful memories of Autumn, and I admit that my Midwestern girl heart is probably more homesick at this time of year than any other. I recently put together a treasury of items that remind me of autumn that I'd love to share here!

'Autumn Mosaic' by mysticwynd

When I think of Fall, I think... What's not to love!?!

Indian Corn - Fall Harv... shannonleighst... $40.00	Moonlit Hay Ride Primit... CornfedSigns $10.95	8x10 Black Edged Foam B... robtravisphoto... $35.00	Autumn leaves harvest g... bomobob $21.00
Colorful Knit Autumn wo... RainbowMittens $40.00	Autumn Delight Chocolat... englishrosedes... $79.99	Halloween BLACK CATS SE... CharlotteStyle $14.00	Mini cards - Set of 6 -... WineCountryLif... $3.50
Gourmet Hot Cocoa Kit -... daniellec617 $26.00	Antiqued Copper Maple L... IngridsCreatio... $20.00	Fireplace mrsotto $18.00	Apple Cider Fragrance O... gigigibson $5.45
Swarovski Vintage Gold ... HeadpinWear $18.00	Birthday Bunting, Oh Ha... AYoungRetiree $3.25	SEPTEMBER VEST - Handkn... CoupCoup $68.00	We Interrupt This Marri... AppalachianPri... $15.00