autumn's approach

i can feel it. fall is ever so slightly creeping into charlotte. colored leaves have begun to shed from just a few trees, and give the sidewalk a wonderful crunch. that crunch is like biting into an apple on a hayride, and building a fort of raked leaves in the front yard.

school busses have returned to making their daily trips full of students, backpacks and lunch boxes.

the weather has mercifully started changing. the highs are no longer in the mid-90s, or (for the most part) upper 80s, but have shifted to between 80 and 85. this, in turn, means that a good portion of the day sits somewhere in the 70s, ie: the perfect decade of temperature.

yes, fall is ushering the summer out as we speak. and on its heels are pumpkin pies, corn mazes, apple cider, farmer's markets, boots, sweaters, tights, bonfires, an abundance of soccer, steelers games, and many more wonderful things. runs are no longer constrained to early in the morning, or late in the evening. jackets no longer cause profuse amounts of sweating.

autumn holds a special place in my heart. everything associated with it is warm and fuzzy. every fall feels like a new beginning. i can once again breathe deeply, and start over. i can release the chaos of summer, and wipe the slate clean. everything feels clean and fresh. and my constant companion switches from a tall glass of iced tea and lemonade - thanks arnold - to a LARGE mug full of apple cider with cinnamon.

the appeal of fall always lasts for much longer than any of the other seasons for me. there are so many wonderful things in the fall, and they go on for the entire season. it starts with sports seasons and back to school, then it turns to bonfires and halloween, hayrides, camping, and drives through the mountains just to see the leaves. november brings the promise of thanksgiving, time spent with family, shopping trips, pumpkins and pumpkin pie (mmm), fires in the fireplace. all of these wonderful things carry us right to the cusp of winter - and ski season.

promise me that one day this fall you will snuggle down under a blanket, next to a fire, with a mug of coffee or cider and a good book, and you will take the time to enjoy this season called autumn.

and on that note, one of the best parts of fall begins tonight. week 1 - steelers vs. titans...

HERE WE GO STEELERS

HERE WE GO!!