All Fall Down

I suspect that most folks think of "autumn" and "fall" as interchangeable words. But not me. For me, there is one day every year that marks the time when autumn morphs into fall. This year, that would be today.

Here in the deciduous northeast, we mark the end of summer, as days grow shorter and nights are chilly. We watch with delight as trees begin their transformation from deep summer green to a few glorious weeks of red, gold and orange foliage. This, to me, is autumn... and there are few things more beautiful. Or fun. Suddenly we all are young again, dancing through drifting leaves and laughing with the sheer joy of life. We know it will end, of course we do, but that just makes the enjoyment more intense while it lasts.

And then, suddenly, fall whips in on a day of heavy rain. Within hours, leaves lose their now-tenuous hold on branches and carpet the ground. With little warning, branches are bare and trees brace for winter. But wait... a few have held their leaves. There is still a little time left. 

Fall is here, though. We've been warned. Winter will follow, and soon. 

I am so not a winter person.