October means the end of summer...

The older I become, the more I realize how much the weather affects me.  I am a sunshine, blue sky, green leaf, pink flower kind of girl.  Give me a sky dotted with fluffy white clouds,  green grass under my feet and the rays of the sun shining on my skin and I am content.  Today, on this October 1st, I must say "good bye" to summer time and "hello" to Autumn, ( but could I just skip greeting Winter this year!).  Lucky for me I am Carolina born and bred and still reside in this fair state.

I have to admit I do find October to be an enchanting time of year.  My eyes do love to feast on the reds, golds and oranges of the maples, hickory and oak trees in our yard.  Pumpkins and mums do charm me and I can't resist sitting them on my front porch and steps.  Comfy foods interest me in the kitchen now.  Forget the cold salads and crisp produce of summer.  Give me sweet potatoes, roasted slowly in the oven or butternut squash in my stew.  A mug of apple cider feels just right too.  I do enjoy putting on a sweater when chilly and what fun to pull out my jeans and long sleeved shirts.  Suddenly I have a new wardrobe!  This year I am in the market for stretchy, leather boots to warm my feet and calves.

                                Fall leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
                                Lengthen night and shorten day
                               Every leaf speaks bliss to me
                               Fluttering from the autumn tree.  -Emily Bronte