I don't know about you, but fall is one of my four favourite times of the year.

I love the crisp days, the leaves changing colour in all their brilliant glory and the feeling of snuggling in for the oncoming winter.

I love taking a walk in the woods with my dog and listening to the silence that surrounds us.   There is a distinct smell in the air of apples left on wild apple trees and rich smells of the earth.  Most of the time we are alone, it is silent except for the cry of wild geese flocking overhead or the crunch of my dog’s foot falls as she explores and follows an interesting smell.
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The silence is solace to my world weary soul.  So often life becomes busy and stressful and chaotic.  There is work stress that can be difficult, and family needs that must be met and sometimes getting away into the woods for an hour is the best balm for the soul.

It is in this return to nature that I often spend time contemplating the goodness of life and the wonder of creation.  And it is at this time that I am most grateful to my Heavenly Father for the wonder of the world he has created. 

For me, fall is a time of renewal.  It’s a time of reflection as well.  It’s time to think about all the busyness of my life and reconnect with the core of who I am and what my values are.  It is a time when I really begin to understand who I am as a human being.

The cycle of life is so wonderful to contemplate as we enjoy the four seasons of this beautiful part of the world.  Spring is fresh with newness of life, summer is fun with the carefree vim of youth, fall is a time when we hunker down and begin planning for winter which is exactly what you do in the mid years (the SA years) and Winter is when we are winding down and enjoying the pleasures of retirement.  Fall is the time of life I’m in now.  And I think it’s been my favourite part of life so far.

Many of you who stumble upon this little blog and actually read this might be in the same stage of life as I am.  You too are blooming in your beautiful colours.  You too are shining trees standing out in your bright colours.  You are unique and colourful and beautiful inside and out, and it’s your beauty that makes the world a special place to be.
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It doesn’t matter if you live in a city or if you live in a rural area.  Nature is all around us.  Take a stroll through a park, enjoy the brilliant orange or red of a tree in fall foliage.  Enjoy the crisp nights.  And, as you enjoy this special time of year, take a moment and say a little prayer of gratitude that you are a precious son or daughter of a Heavenly Father who loved you enough to provide you with a beautiful world upon which to live.

My grandmother was a poet.  One of my favourite poems that she wrote was about the fall and I would like to share it with you:

Our Lord just took his paintbrush, scattered colour all abroad
The trees reflect His glory; and speak to us of love.
Gone now is all the drabness of dusty summer morn
And in its place with beauty the trees he has adorned.
And as our souls drink in the sight, we revel in beauty with pure delight.
Now is the time to pause and think of all that he has done.
Remember Spring’s sweet promise, that blossomed in Summer’s sun.
And now this feast of beauty set before our eyes
Prepares our hearts for winter’s blasting cold surprise.
Each season that we pass through reminds us of our God,
And in the changing seasons too, a reminder of his love.
Spring was when we met Him, just bursting forth with joy
Summer’s calm sweet spirit let nothing in us destroy.
And now come all this beauty to fill our very souls;
Before we enter winter and face that bitter cold.
Now isn’t this just like our God, our hearts to so prepare?
When wintry blasts of trouble come, we know that he is there.
                                                                 by Gladys Hazel Read

Enjoy the pictures in the slide show - I just took them this week at a conservation area in the Kawartha Lakes.
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