Fall is Mother Nature putting on her most dramatic dress. The angle of the sun changes. Outlines of trees and plants are sharper and distinct. Colors are deeper – squirrels busier – the air crisper. Leaves crackle beneath your feet. Geese honking loudly as they fly overhead, always make me smile. Don't you wonder what they're saying to each other? It sounds as if they're arguing over which direction to take. There is excitement in the air. Gone are the long bucolic days of summer. It's a relief. Hot, long days are exhausting.! It's time to settle in, cozy up, light a fire. Fun and festive times are on their way.

If the four seasons were a rock group (I think they were), Spring would be the bouncy, perky, innocent member of the group, full of energy. Summer would be the hot, overtly sexy singer that rises early and goes to bed late and is just too – too much fun! She wears you out. Winter would be the aloof, cold, tempestuous diva that changes her mood on a whim and can freeze you out without notice. And Fall? Fall would be the sophisticated, raven-haired intellectual that wears whatever color she wants and looks fantastic.! She never stays around long enough for you to tire of her. Fall lives for the moment, knowing her time is limited. Fall is bold - donning colors that make the other seasons pale in comparison. After a few glorious days or weeks (one never knows how long she'll stay), the leaves give a last shout of color, rustle in the breeze, and Fall is gone.

Citizens of other states like to insinuate that California doesn't have a Fall season. But we do. Perhaps we don't have the profusion of color other states boast of having, but if we desire more colors, the mountains are not far away. As one comedian said, "I like the seasons too! That's why I live where they only have the GOOD ones." I agree! No matter how old I get, Fall nudges me to rush out and shop, as if I'm still preparing for the school year. You'll have to excuse me. I have underwear, a Pumpkin Pie, and notebooks to buy. I LOVE Fall.!