Fall Musings

Fall has finally made an appearance in the weather here in New England.  Halloween candy appeared in the grocery store aisles over a month ago!  The furnace kicked on Sunday night. I had to close most of the windows in the house for the first time since May.   

Now the change from the comfortable slacks and golf shirts to dress shirt, socks, and sometimes a tie and jacket.  I find the cold weather clothing uncomfortable and confining.

       Fall cleanup chores will soon dominate our “To Do” lists.  Rake the leaves and bring flowers indoors.  The foliage looks spectacular in the trees, not so much on my lawn!  Rake the leaves. Schedule tree maintenance to cut down the huge pine threatening the front of the house.  Rake the leaves. Prepare the yard and home for colder weather and snow.  The sand barrels along my hilly driveway need to be refilled.  And finally, once again, rake the leaves!  Reminds me of the old Dunkin’ Donuts commercial where Fred the Baker says, “Time to make the Donuts!”

       The cooler weather in Fall can be very enjoyable.  Chilly enough to wear a jacket outdoors but not a heavy coat.  The Fall sports are great fun to attend—tailgate parties, seeing old friends and classmates at college games. 

       I like to get out and attend local high school sporting events.  I try not to waste the great weather of early Fall staying inside and watching the games on TV…plenty of time to do that in November and December!  Attending a local game in the crisp fall evenings is my Connecticut version of “Friday Night Lights.”

       After a day of raking the leaves, it’s great to reward myself with some of my Fall favorites—apple crisp, apple betty, apple crumble and apple cider—gives me plenty of reasons to celebrate the Fall!