Tuesday, October 18, 2016

” . . . days decrease,
And autumn grows, autumn in everything.”
~ Robert Browning

I was thinking about autumn this morning.

I first sensed its coming back in August when the air felt different in the morning and the number of cobwebs I ran into in the garden seemed to increase exponentially every day. I was dismayed at the hint of the season changing.

As September dawned I began to grow weary from Summer’s toil; I found myself embracing the opportunity to slow down and turn my attention toward other activities. Snippets of autumn crept into the last of the summer days and it was a glorious month.

Now it’s October. The work of summer is over, days are noticeably darker, and nature gifting us with her last glorious gift of beauty before the winter blanket of snow begins to fall. We are wiser now, having learned by experience through another season of growing. We celebrate the season by enjoying crisp, delicious apples; roasted root vegetables; and pumpkin everything. We are pleased when we survey jar after full jar on our canning shelf and a freezer well stocked. We pull out quilts and snuggly socks; we make soup and stew; we prepare for winter.

Our winter preparation moves forward at a different pace from that which we used to prepare for summer. In spring we were giddy and expectant, eager to shake off the darkness and get outside and do. Now our movements are slower, we are content but somewhat weary. We tackle the autumn chores of cleaning up the flower beds and putting away the yard furniture day-by-day; working when the sun shines, content to remain snug indoors when the fall storms blow.

Once I dreaded autumn but now I embrace and appreciate her gifts; this time of year and this stage of my life, both seasons of gratitude and contentment.