My door is open and every now and then a breeze tickles the wind chimes.  It’s getting there.  The nights with a little bit of a chill that begs for a sweater.  It’s like the air is clearer, crisper, cleaner.  Sigh.  I love fall.

My daughter wanted me to “make fall” in the house a couple of weeks ago when the weather was stubbornly hanging on to over 100 degree days with no nice dip at night.  In other words, we could still sweat at 10 p.m.  Ugh.   That just doesn’t say “fall” to me.  Pumpkins and flip flops shouldn’t mix.

It’s my favorite time of year and I generally go a little overboard with decor.  To me, fall is about harvest , colorful leaves, apple cider, pumpkin bread, homemade candy buckeyes, caramel dipped apples, soups simmered all day in the crock pot, and a visit to the State Fair.  As a child it meant hayrides to farms near my grandparent’s farm.   And fall must have cool weather –  not cold, but enough to raise a goose bump or two at night.  It demands  a light throw tossed over the sofa to cozy into when watching television.  It says time to start packing away the swimsuits and shorts and unpacking the three-quarter and long sleeves.  It says time to find the sweaters and get ready to layer with jackets and scarves.  It says okay to a new pair of boots and jeans.  And it promises open windows and doors and, soon, silenced air conditioners.  I really love fall.

For years I’ve had two giant storage tubs marked “FALL” where my collection of all things autumn are kept until October and November.  During the past year we’ve rearranged and rearranged and rearranged the rooms where those tubs are possibly stored and somehow, I’ve lost them.  I’m sure they’re buried behind the tubs marked “CHRISTMAS” but since those are quadruple stacked and barricaded by an assortment of items we need to donate, I can’t find them.  I did find the old tub we used when we had the business, though.  This one had the leaves and left over pieces that had come undone from whatever they used to be part of that we used to decorate fall tables for events.  Okay, says I, I can improvise.

Leaves on the chandelier over the dining tables, leaves on the book shelves, leaves over the entry mirror.  Pumpkin colored candles nesting in coffee beans.  And for the centerpiece on the fireplace, everything left in the box – squash in an assortment of shapes and sizes, a few stray leaves, and some fall colored glass garland pieces that had come loose from a longer version lost at some point.  Fall potpourri.  The living room said “fall” but the A/C was still running to keep up with the 100 degree days.

Grouse, grump.  Sweat a little longer.

I’m starting to feel it now though…that sneaking into cooler weather that promises the things that make me smile. Happy dance!  Wind chime tinkle!

Soon I’ll need a blanket on the bed.  Happy sigh.  I just love fall!