A Rainy Morning

I love the rain. Night before last we had a thunderstorm, one of the dry, wind whipping ones that gives you a charge as you see the huge streaks of lightening and hear the crack and rumble of the answering thunder. The clouds that have been threatening since then finally broke this morning and the rain is drizzling down. There's a happy sadness to rain that I adore. On days like today I feel a sort of melancholy, a mellow and reflective mood that somehow also fills me with joy as I look forward to cuddling up with a big mug of tea and my knitting, and sharing time wrapped in a blanket with two warm little bodies while we read Aidyn's dinosaur book for what must be the 1,762nd time. Today has me looking at the calendar and realizing in shock that the summer is drawing to a close again.

I can't really say which season is my favorite. I love both spring and fall equally I think, because they both hold promise. Spring means new life, fresh earth, and warmth as the sun chases the last of winter away. But fall holds a different kind of promise that is so enticing to me. We move past the too hot days and humid nights, past pool parties and BBQs and mowing the lawn into something much more reserved and peaceful. To me, fall promises a break from the full swing of summer, a time to rest, a time to cuddle, and a time to savor the fruits of the spring. Around this time of year I begin my fall cleaning, readying our home for a long winter indoors. Soon the flowerbeds will be cleaned out and bedded down for the impending winter, and the last of my garden's produce will be taken in. The leaves that have already begun to turn yellow will lay in a carpet on the ground, and in no time at all, we'll be waking up to frost on the ground.

I love that my walks in the neighborhood with the kids will see us returning with hands full of the treasures that fall leaves strewn on the ground - gold and brown leaves, little rocks and sticks, and acorn caps. I love that I will be able to pull out my sweaters and jeans, and leave blankets here and there around the house ready to be cuddled in at a moment's notice. We'll be able to journey to our nearby farming community and join in the harvest festivals, enjoying caramel apples and steaming mugs of cider while stocking up on squash and potatoes and onions and corn and choosing pumpkins for carving. Our home will come alive with fall colors and the decorations that precede the holiday season.

What I love most is that fall, even as it dims a bright summer, makes everything so much more clear and crisp. The blankets in the morning seem that much more cozy, and it's a glorious feeling to wake up in a warm cocoon and burrow in a little deeper for just a few more minutes. The coffee in the morning tastes even better, and the casseroles and stews that roll out of my kitchen as I start using my oven again even richer. Family comes to the forefront as I begin creating and scheming for the holidays, and love seems closer as more time is spent together indoors.

Winter seems to last so long, summer is a blur of color of fun, and spring brings new starts and a fresh breath. Fall is subtle, bringing deep colors and heady flavors, and allowing us to step back and slow down. It's a different kind of joy than the others, but a complete and utter contentment kind of joy that I just can't get enough of.