Ode to Autumn... Embracing the Magic of Fall

The leaves have turned their autumn hues… falling gently to the ground… they crunch under our feet as we walk. There is a crisp… yet fresh aroma to air that heralds the cool days this time of year brings. With summer clothes packed snugly away – we wrap ourselves in sweaters and comfy jeans. Each day the night sneaks up quietly like a deer in the woods – coming earlier than the last.

Candy corn pops brightly in a bowl on the coffee table and a medley of spices fill the room with pumpkin and apple pies cooling on the counter. Fall… a time for carving pumpkins and apple picking… hayrides and scarecrows… spooky decorations… flag football with friends and bonfires on the beach nestled in a blanket.

Soon… children will dress in their favorite costume… knocking on doors to see what treats may await and each will count their bounty several times that night. The magic of Halloween will fade… and we will be giving thanks for the year that is soon to pass.

Photo by growler guy on Flickr

School Daze.... Saying Goodbye to Summer...

For most kids…. School has already begun… for the lucky few… they can savor the last days of summer for just a little bit longer.

You can tell fall is in the air… the sun sets earlier… mornings are just crisp enough for a sweatshirt… back yards are more quiet during the day… parks more empty… and streets more crowded in the afternoon. The smell of suntan lotion slowly starts to fade as the aroma of freshly sharpened pencils take its place. In the hall… backpacks now take the place of flip flops and wet towels.

Alarm clocks don the new day instead of a lazy late morning phone call from a friend down the street. Life guards are leaving for college and beaches show little trace that summer was even here…

The lazy, hazy days of summer soon start to fade from our minds…. As the hustle and bustle of school days… schedules… dirty cleats and paper bag lunches move right on in.

Soon… apple pies will be baking… turkeys will be carved and sleigh bells ringing… And summer won’t seem that far away anymore…

Photo From Frank Scallo on Flickr

PS: There is one place you can be sure to find handmade beach inspired goodies all year 'round - The Boardwalk on 1000 Markets.