September

I have to say, even though it is the end of the summer (and here that means the start of the rainy season we call 'Winter') there are many things I love about September.

Aside from having the distinct privilege of being the month of my birth (haha), September is also the beginning of the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets of the year - one early morning last week, the sky was such a blazing red I actually went out to investigate, thinking that perhaps one of the neighboring houses to where I live was on fire (fortunately all was well) - each year, right around the middle of September, you will begin to see sunrises and sunsets that make you say "wow, I've never seen one so beautiful" and the next year you top it.

Now maybe some of this is due to global warming or harmful gasses, but I think that for the most part it's just the change in our relative position, and it sure makes up for the longer nights, to have such a spectacular end.

I also love the anticipation of fall - the leaves slowly begin to turn (I saw one fall off a couple days ago, and thought to myself "so it's begun...") the fog rolls into valleys and rises each morning with the days arrival, and stores begin to fill with Halloween and Christmas decorations (didn't they used to wait until Halloween was over to start selling reds and greens?) and so you know that the season of friends, family and feasting is just around the corner.

( I just got a mental image of a Turkey seeing the Christmas lights come on and saying "ah shit, that was quick")

Aside from the plight of birds and pigs though - it's a wonderful thing.


Each morning now, I smell the air as I walk outside, waiting for the first frost, the first day that smells of ice and wood smoke, that I know will send my mind back to a place of warmth and happiness from my past.  For me it takes me to my Grandparents house in winter (real winter, the one with Snow) when everything is covered in deep snow drifts, and the whole world is hushed.  Snow has that effect - especially freshly fallen - it's like the world is struck silent by the sheer beauty of the transformation that has occurred, and all you can hear is the soft crunch of your boots and the gentle creaking of frozen trees

And so I anxiously await that day, when the smell will tell me that fall has truly begun, and I can forget about everything else for just a brief second - just long enough for my trip back in time - and be reminded that even though it's rainy, even though it's dark, there's something special about this time of year - like spring this is a time of firsts, and that means there's always something to look forward to.