Fun Monday: What I like about fall...

I grew up in Oklahoma... for those of you who have had a turn in the south... you know that autumn is really not all that spectacular. Summer is often so dry and hot that the trees go directly from green to bare. There is no pretty color... there is no real turn of the season.

Another thing about the south is there is rarely any snow. If snow does happen to fall, it lasts for a day or so... everyone freaks out and there are hundreds of traffic accidents... then it melts away. (If you are fortunate, you don't get an ice storm that takes out activity for several days as there is no adequate equipment to deal with inclimate weather.)

When I lived in Oklahoma, I did like a few things about fall/harvest/autumn:

Pumpkins - I love(d) seeing carved jack-o-lanters winking at me from front porches. I also loved roasted pumpkin seeds - my mom would get a couple of smaller pumpkins and cook the meat then roast the seeds with salt and olive oil. Mmmm...

Pumpkin pie - I know it is available or easily made throughout the year... but pumpkin pie in the fall just tastes better to me. (Especially when it's made with real pumpkin... like Mrs. Dunn used to make).

Piles upon piles of leaves - I grew up on pretty close to 2 acres of land. One thing we didn't run short on was leaves... and where there are leaves, there is an endless array of games to be played.

Trick-or-treating with my brothers - granted, as we got older, we didn't go trick-or-treating often... but when we were kids, I remember having so much fun with them.

School - yes... when I was in school... I did actually look forward to the end of summer to some extent. I often didn't get to see many of my friends on breaks from school... so I always looked forward to getting back and getting to see them again.

In 2002, I moved to Minnesota. As you may already know, this offered me a drastic change when it comes to the harvest season. Since my change in location, I have grown to appreciate this wonderful season even more. In addition to the original loves of the season... I have many other things to look forward to and be thankful for... such as:

Autumnal colors - along the Mississippi River... and pretty much all throughout this beautiful area, there are endless arrays of colors offered during the harvest season. The reds, yellows, greens, golds, and oranges are just breathtaking.

Eagles - we have an area on the Mississippi where you can go and watch the eagles as they are migrating. It is amazing... they are so majestic.

The smell of the air - I know it sounds strange... but just the way the air smells in the autumn. You can smell the leaves... and sometimes you can get a hint of the "snowy" smell that is just around the corner.

Halloween - I have always loved Halloween. It is the one day of the year when you can be someone different and no one looks at you strangely or passes judgement on you. I can't wait for October to get here so I can decorate for the holiday... which is what I will be doing this weekend.

Thanksgiving - I love spending time with family... and celebrating the thing we should all be able to say we are most thankful for. I truly feel for the people who are less fortunate than myself during this wonderful time of year.

Snow - I love snow. There is just something about it that makes it so magical. Of course, it's best when you can stay home and enjoy it... rather than having to try to drive in it. (I don't mind driving in snow... but there are plenty of other people out on the roads that don't drive well to begin with... and snow seems to amplify their lack of proper driving skills.)

I am sure there are so many things I have left out of this list... but this is a good start. I love the season... I love the festivities... and I love all of the people in my life who help me get through the events that make up a lifetime.