fall-ing

I'm feeling inspired by my friend Chantell's recent post about fall, so I decided to do it as well. Normally, I really dislike the coming of fall, because it means that cold weather and winter are quickly approaching. The seasons of cold weather feel like a dark, cold cave that it takes lightyears to find your way out of, and it always makes me feel a little claustrophobic. I love sunshine and warm weather and icy drinks on hot days, and it seems like it lasts for such a short time.

However, I'll admit that this weekend fall is growing on me...it sort of feels like it's wrapping me up in a big cozy blanket to welcome me in. And while I'd like to run backwards into summer, I have no other choice but to make myself comfortable and try to enjoy this season. (I think this might not only apply to seasons of weather but also these changing seasons of life...)

While summer will always remain my love, and this short-lived crush I'm having on fall surely won't last long, I'm enjoying a few of its characteristics:

-the colors of the leaves and how they remind me of puzzles
-the smells of bonfires in the distance at night
-the warmth of my big, cozy, comfy hooded sweatshirts
-the taste of all things apple, cinnamon, or pumpkin--apple cider, my mom's pumpkin bars, pumpkin spice lattes/frappuccinos, caramel apples, apple pie...
-my Gold Canyon candles from mom that smell like I'm at home...particularly Autumn Walk, because it reminds me of a man's cologne, but of course those that smell like apple, cinnamon, and pumpkin to remind me of baking
-the feeling that it's ok to lay around and do nothing all day on a saturday in the fall
-the urge that I feel to do some baking
-just the feeling of being in my apartment with the lights off, candles burning, and either reading, watching a movie or TV, or laying in a warm bath and relaxing

So I'm pretty sure I'm going to do all of these things this weekend. It's truly a fall weekend. After a long and difficult week of grieving my grandma, yet celebrating her life, and after being gone so much for work lately, I'm looking forward to enjoying a fall weekend. And I plan to bake a pie simply in honor of my Grandma Shirlye...with the candles burning...with a hoodie on...after taking some pictures of the pretty trees.