Autumn.  Such a beautiful time of year!  Although most people attribute Spring as the time of new beginnings, the rhythm of our life offers Autumn that title.  The school year begins again, and although we school year round for maximum flexibility (and because learning is a lifestyle, not relegated to certain months and times of day), there is still something about September.  The local parks and libraries clear out from their summer crowds.  Pools close and the long and lazy days of summer come to an end.  Routine becomes the way of life in most homes, as the days begin and end with Fall's signature chill.  Stores deck out in reams of school supplies and a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils beside a basket of apples becomes the centerpiece.  Then, the colors of Fall permeate the stores with words like "gratitude","thankful", "food", and "family" written across platters and plaques and miniature pumpkins.  Candles scent the aisles with cinnamon, spiced apple, and pumpkin pie.  Yes, this is our new beginning.  Lessons have taken a casual air for the summer, less formality and shorter time frames.  But Autumn arrives and it's time to tighten up a bit, add in additional subject matter, and spend more time working round the table.  We file away the work from last year, last winter, and the now-last summer...surprised at how much material we covered(!) a few hours at a time, day by day.  We freshen notebooks, empty our folders, examine our routines, and begin anew.

My menu plans change, I pull out a favorite cookbook and turn the the section entitled "Fall" to make a list of old favorites that I'll soon wish to make.  I take my "Fall Recipe Binder" from its shelf upstairs, and place it in the kitchen, ready for use.  I flip through the pages, tossing a few recipes, and happily recall the yearly favorites which will be rotated into a menu shortly.  It's football season, which means weekends of soup or chili and freshly baked bread.  Cookies fresh from the oven just as kickoff takes place on TV.

Slowly, the jackets come out, the tank tops are put away for next year...and slowly, the shorts and summery dresses are too.  Long sleeves mix with tee shirts in our drawers, and flannel sheets are on standby, just waiting for the cold nights to come.  They will, probably before halloween.

At home, the candles are set here and there.  Fall decor carefully placed.  Jars filled with candy corn (to eat) and acorns (to look at) find homes on my counter.  We embrace deep reds, gold, autumnal green, and a bit of orange flame whether in pillows or blankets or hand towels in the kitchen, and perhaps a table runner.

Fall is here.  Our new beginning.