Fallen

I have officially, blissfully, completely, fallen in love. It’s for real this time. There is no doubt in my mind. It’s exhilarating.

I have fallen in love with the dry air, and the chirping birds, and the brisk mornings, and the pep in everyone’s step. I have fallen in love with FALL. Ahhhhh!

I know that pretty much everyone loves Fall. Who couldn’t? For some it’s the end of a brutal summer (thank you, Houston), and for others it’s a milder version of what’s to come in the winter and a time to watch the leaves change. Either way, it’s a welcomed change. Houston has about two weeks, on average, of Fall weather each year. We are currently half-way through the second week, so perhaps we will be blessed with an extension this year. Here’s hoping!

So what else does Fall mean, and why is it such a beloved season? Here’s my take on it:

Fall baking: nothing else compares to this, ever. We get to put pumpkin in everything, and pumpkin makes everything better. And Fall baking makes the house smell good, and gets our minds focused toward Thanksgiving rather than July 4th. My favorite is this scrumptious chocolate chip pumpkin bread that I make. The best way to get Vitamin A that I know of! The first batch has already been baked and consumed this year, and there will be many more to follow.

Fresh air: this may not mean much to a lot of you, but the fact that I get to use the sun roof in my car instead of the air conditioning, well, that’s just a pure blessing. I love driving down the freeway with my hair whipping in the wind, and I’m not sweating! This is a sacred occasion as it happens so rarely. And the same goes for opening the windows at my house. Fresh, outside air is so much better than recycled air. And the fat cat just sits underneath the open window with her nose in the air taking all of the new smells in and enjoying every minute of it.

Warm things: think down comforter on the bed instead of a blanket (this transition was made 2 nights ago and I have not slept better in weeks!), long sleeves instead of tank tops, cozy pajamas instead of the bare minimum, blankets on the couch, hot tea – you get the picture. I love being cozy. I love wrapping up in something. There are really few things in this world better than being cozy. I would pick a log cabin in the mountains, in front of a fire, over the beach any day!

Football: I will caveat this by saying that I’m not actually into football anymore. I really just don't care all that much. BUT, I love the energy that is in the air during football season. People become friendlier because they discover they cheer for the same team, they bond over fantasy football leagues, and they talk to others they would not normally talk to. Football brings out hoards of people (albeit some obnoxious and annoying) together for socializing and relishing in the cooler weather. So even though I don’t actually watch the football games, I love the energy that this sport creates. I love just sitting back and enjoying the vibe.

You feelin’ frisky?: Have you noticed that animals are much friskier in the cooler weather? And people are in better moods? Why is it that the heat drains so much out of us? When Fall comes, every animal and every person seems to have more pep in their step. All of a sudden we’re outside exercising, doing chores, etc. and we are loving it! I don’t know about you, but sometimes, the feeling of Fall makes me believe that I can conquer the world. That’s pretty powerful!

I know I’m not saying anything here that most of you haven't already thought or experienced, but my love affair with this season has been extraordinarily powerful this year. Maybe it’s because I now have a job where I can leave at a decent hour and enjoy being outside at night having dinner at a café or walking the park with friends. Maybe it’s because I am traveling a lot more now, so when I experience this amazing weather while I’m home, I just soak it up and appreciate it even more. Or maybe it’s just because I’ve taken the time to acknowledge all of these little aspects of Fall that have made me fall in love. Whatever it is, just know that I have fallen. Have you?