Favorite time of the year

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Smell it? Huh? Breathe it in! It is the smell of fall. Everything around us knows the time of year. Animals are beginning that winter coat that sheds all over the place in the spring. Plants are struggling to open their last blooms while some others are enjoying the brisk feel of season. Yep, my favorite season. No, wait, I think I said that in the spring. Hm. Well, anyway, fall is here.

What is it that brings memories back in the fall? It is indeed a reflective time. Not just for the older generation. Nolan remembers the donkey at the pumpkin patch, and, of course, the cider donuts. Emma recalls Halloween costumes and the fun fall brings. My memories always pop back to the farm. The mulberry and maple trees covered the lawn with leaves. Even after all these years, I remember tossing them into the air and running through them. Fall on the farm was a wonderful time.

We spent a bit more time in the basement during fall. It was when Dad started building fires in the fireplace. It was when the church youth group showed up for hot dogs and potato salad. Neighbors were gearing down from a time of combining in the fields and canning the summer bounty. They had time to stop in for a morning of visiting. We dressed a bit warmer to walk to the bus. And, Brenda and I turned our attention from playing in the corncrib to playing with our paper dolls and doll babies.

Fall is a time of remembering. Yes, sometimes the darker days and rain remind us of those we love and have lost. I lost my dad and two uncles on September 17. I sent my kids to school in the fall, hence, my summer fun with them came to a halt. They would grow up more during their winter experiences at school and our play days would change. Somehow fall seemed to be more about endings than beginnings, which spring held aplenty. Often the rain reflected the tears in my heart.

Fall is here with all of its color. The air is crisp and clear. We sit in our living room watching the seasons change outside our windows. Fall. My favorite time of the year.

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By Pamela Loxley Drake

On Neff Road

Pamela Loxley Drake is a former resident of Darke County and is the author of Neff Road and A Grandparent Voice blog. She can be reached at [email protected]. Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.

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