Fall in Winchester, VA.

I keep telling my mother how much I'm enjoying the Fall weather. My reasoning was that Montana had mostly conifers and, though we had some color, we didn't get this. Gentle, warm, sunshine; crispy leaves; cold nights.

And it stretches on for what seems like forever. In Montana and Minnesota, Fall could be just a handful of days if Mother Nature changed her mind. There was usually a little snow in Montana by Halloween. 

I find that I am always making time to get OUT IN IT. I've been running in the actual outdoors; taking walks with J. after dinner; and walking to my office instead of taking the car. In my mind I'm always mapping places to go walk in it. This afternoon, I'm thinking of going running on a trail that goes through one of the Civil War battlefields. Other runners on dailymile.com tell me it is really beautiful right now.

Last weekend, my Mixed-Media Artists group met at a member's studio for an oil painting workshop. He opened up the doors and we went outside to paint in the sun. It was a perfect day for me. Glorious farm beauty all around, warm sunshine, and a goat or two. 

My old friend Beth (who has been my friend through every version of my mistaken life) came with me. Afterward, we bought apple pies at a farm market and went to an antiques store. It was a perfect Fall day. 

I enjoyed the painting, but I have to say the best thing that happened to me that day was the beautiful weather...and seeing a goat climb a tree.

It just occurred to me last night that my experience of Fall has been more distant than my years in Montana. Before Montana I was in Florida, after all. And before that I was in Scotland which also had a very, very brief season.

I had one Fall in DC (sandwiched between Scotland and Florida) but that was just after 9/11 so I don't think it counts. (We were all so depressed and sad that I doubt anyone noticed the colors.) 

Which is a long way of saying it's been probably fifteen years since I've really experienced this. It has always been my favorite time of year. And I'm loving every minute.  

Comments

[teent]

I think you're mistaken to think that you have a "mistaken life". Life is full of tough lessons, and it can take a circuitous route before we find out who we are and what we want.