It's Become My Favorite....

Autumn....i love everything about it!  Today was a perfect Autumn day.  60 degrees and sunny.  Last night's rain brought down a sufficient amount of leaves that i knew it was safe to say that summer heat was finally over.  

I love the smell of the outdoors.....it reminds me of high school field hockey, trick or treating, and peaceful walks.

I love the sounds of the leaves....and here in my new home apparently Autumn is not complete without a thousand acorns dropping either.

But most of all, i love the sights!  How amazing is it that something that is dying can look so beautiful?  There's a lesson to be learned there.  

I love the leaves, the colors are magnificent!  Eastern Tennessee is an especially beautiful place to see Autumn.  I do have to admit that this time of year also makes me miss Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey quite a bit as there's probably no other place i have lived that does Autumn leaves quite so well.  

Anticipation....that goes along with Autumn too.  

I cannot wait for Halloween so i can see the joy and smiles on my children's faces as i help them dress up in the costumes they decided on.  

But wait, then there's the joy of Thanksgiving, a holiday that means more than turkey to me as i had the late introduction to it's splendor when we moved to this country.  It means the Smiths (Bobbi, Brad, Kelly, Brad, and Erin), who taught us how to celebrate it. It means having something Italian anyway at my Aunt Susan and Uncle Bill's.  It means blackened turkeys (a good thing!) that my father-in-law masterfully produces, including the one at my first Thanksgiving with John when we went to Bill's with my whole family and Josh. John and i were just engaged.  It means all family and great friends that we've shared it with, pumpkin pies, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and apple pie with vanilla ice-cream.  It means being thankful and there is SO MUCH to be thankful for.  

And then....the ultimate part of the anticipation.....Christmas.  How many days now?  ;-)

2 months....or..... 70 days......or.........1690 hours........or........101351 minutes (of course again at the time of this blog - Thursday October 14th 9:52pm)