Happiness is...the onset of fall!

Today it became fall. This past week we've had some lovely balmy 70+ degree days and glorious hints of sunshine in the midst of our seemingly perpetual rain.  But overnight fall settled in. There's a definite chill in the air that precludes rolled-down windows and necessitates layering.

I love fall. (I really love spring too, but we're not going to go there today.)

I love slipping back into socks and sweaters.  I love boots and tights and scarves and not having to shave my legs every day.  I love curling up under my down comforter again and indulging in a mug of hot cocoa or herbal tea before bed. I love the crisp, cool air and kaleidoscope colors of changing leaves.  And I love crunching through those leaves when they give up their hold on the branches and collect on the sidewalks and in gutters.

I love pretty much every single thing that is and can be pumpkin flavored. (Steamed milk, ice cream, cookies, cheesecake, soup, bread, waffles, cupcakes, pies, smoothies, you name it!) I love Halloween with all its trimmings and trappings; pumpkin patches and jack-o-lanterns, witches' cauldrons filled with dry ice and those giant fuzzy lawn spiders. And everything resembling ghosts (I have a soft spot for ghost motifs.) I love the yearly ritual of watching the animated Disney version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. And of course, the candy.  And I love following it all up with Thanksgiving which ushers us right into the next best time of year; the Holidays!

While hunkering down in the basement and doing a bit of scrapbooking after my early morning hike in the drizzle and damp I was going through some of my photos and, feeling a bit of melancholia, decided I must do a farewell to summer post.

So, in no particular order, or rhyme or reason really, here are some things I will miss about summer. (*Note-this will in no way diminish my enjoyment of fall!)

Green leaves and the noonday sun

Garden fresh fruit

Going barefoot

Flowers in the yard

Outdoor events and gatherings

How about you? What are things you look forward to with the changing of the seasons? What are the things you'll miss most? Which season is your favorite? As always, I'd love to hear from you! (I heart comments almost as much as I heart banjos and fiddles!!!)