Here Comes October...

A new month already! Where did September go?  (I know my month was "lost" in a maze of work, hospital/rehab center visits, a myriad of obligations and limited and precious family time.)  We are in the "heart" of autumn now.  The days (and nights) are noticeably cooler.  The colors vibrant as the trees seem to be ablaze, the pumpkins are plump and orange, and pots of mums dot many a neighbor's doorstep.  (Sadly not mine.  I've killed too many over the years and October also seems to be a windy month with any containers of mums that I haven't killed blowing over on their side and making a general mess.)  The air is full of the scent of apples and cinnamon, as well as the occasional bonfire.

Most importantly, it is now "allowable" to put up Halloween decorations, at least according to my son.  In his book of holiday rules, Halloween decorations should not go up until at least the last week of September. (Purchasing decorations and costumes, however, may be done at any time during the year.)  As a family we decorated our house this past weekend (the last weekend of September). A new costume had been purchased a few weeks prior.  (Halloween costumes are a big thing for my son.  He takes much time and consideration in deciding what the best costume for the year will be.)  We were the first on our block to decorate for Halloween. (As opposed to decorating for the season of autumn which is acceptable once school starts and the mums, pumpkins, hay stacks, corn stalks and ears of Indian corn appear throughout the town.)  But now that October is here, our little block will soon be full of "spooky" decorations.  (There is a fine line between spooky and scary.  We tend of avoid scary.)

As September flew by, I'm hoping to take October at a slower pace.  I know that soon it will be too cold for early morning walks and that my lunch breaks at the local park will become less frequent.  But there is still time to enjoy the days and take in all the beauty that the month has.  I may have done my apple and pumpkin picking (to the tune of $25 dollars!), but there still leaves to be raked (though I hope I'm not the one to rake them), treats to bake (turn on that oven and warm up the house) and pumpkins to be carved (a day or so before Halloween).  Soon the days will grow even shorter and colder and I hope to take advantage of all the glories of the month while I can. I hope you will too.