Autumn Hues

Autumn is here.

The trees have taken on colorful hues. They shine amber in the bright sunlight or blaze red in the middle of a sea of green. But the tones are a little subdued, which makes me sad. There is far less of the deep and vibrant color that usually characterizes peak season for fall foliage because of the endless October days of rain. But in the perfect moment, you can still catch a beautiful autumnal glow.

At one time in my life, I used to pick up leaves that I thought made beautiful imprints on the ground. The ones that fell even though they hadn't turned brown and crispy, the ones that still retained their reds and oranges and golds. They never really lasted for long, because I didn't really have anything to do with them, but they were fun to look at. Part of the celebration of the season.

I don't remember if I've ever addressed the favorite season question on this blog. I waver back and forth because there's so much I love about each of them that it's hard to choose. Sometimes people wonder how you can like autumn, a season where leaves die and fall from the trees, it turns cold, it gets dark early. But it's also a season of color, brisk refreshing breezes, new beginnings and warm and fuzzy feelings inside. The first times it's cool enough for hot apple cider, the days when humidity has left the air leaving for a pleasant cool night, the coziness of curling up in comfy pajama pants with hot chocolate. Fleece blankets, deep and dark colored clothing, comfort food like stuffing and mashed potatoes.

There's a lot of things I love about autumn. And it's best to leave this on a happy note while I've still got that warm and fuzzy feeling inside. What's your favorite part of autumn?