Fall is officially here, both inside our home, and outside in the world. Summer is my favorite season, so fall always brings with it a little sadness. I miss the sun setting late in the evening, the lazy days by the town pool, the sounds of crickets chirping, and the general relaxed feeling of the warmer months. Although they have their own unique qualities and benefits, I am always the last to welcome autumn days. Still, there is some beauty to be seen as the days get cooler, and we begin to prepare for the long, cold months ahead. What does fall mean to you?

On fields o’er which the reaper’s hand has pass’d
Lit by the harvest moon and autumn sun,
My thoughts like stubble floating in the wind
And of such fineness as October airs,
There after harvest could I glean my life
A richer harvest reaping without toil,
And weaving gorgeous fancies at my will
In subtler webs than finest summer haze.

~Henry David Thoreau