....present for fall

Yogis,
This weekend I set out to notice fall. Like really experience what makes fall. No planned autumn activities or road trips, just being present to the season. Being wrapped in fall.

Our senses are the gateway. So, what did I notice that fall looks like?

Fall is a study in contrast. Every view I take contains both vibrant color and dull landscape. Stunning reds and oranges tangled with browns and grays. Trees bursting with leaves alongside those with bare branches. The moon in the morning sky framed in blue.

Squirrels scurry about as deer coats turn noticeably darker. The garden, pathways and porch all messy with fall. Brilliant sun and bright stars.

I listen. It wouldn’t be fall without the conventions of black crows in raucous debate on who is in charge and what is the plan. The sound of migrating flocks passing through. A woodpecker who decided my siding is the perfect place for finding lunch. I yell out the window, trying to save my house.

The intermittent sound of heat kicking on inside. Crickets fill the night air while the crunch of dried leaves underfoot accompany my hikes…..and the sound of rakes and blowers that move them from here to there.

It’s harder to define the smell. At times musty but also a tinge of sweetness. The cozy aroma of smoke from neighborhood firepits.

I tasted apples, pumpkin and Halloween chocolate. Soups and cinnamon. My body now craving warmer heartier foods on my plate. Oatmeal and tea make their seasonal comeback.

Finally, how does fall feel? I’m cold, I layer, I’m hot. What jacket to wear? Do I need a hat? The sensation of jeans on my legs and socks on my feet. The weight of the duvet that has now returned to the bed. Cool breezes asking the leaves to let go.

Relief from the summer heat yet wanting her back at the same time. Both. Melancholy yet awed. Fall feels like I’m leaving behind and heading to.

And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.  ~Oscar Wilde

What does fall say to you?

Here for her,
SARAH