Fall puts me into a certain state; it’s a rare balance of pure contentment and anxious anticipation of winter. For all of you that know me, I battle winter like it’s my worst enemy. I make up excuses to never leave the safety of indoor heating and fluffy down blankets. If someone were to have a winter wedding I’d likely be the one to show up in knitted leg warmers and ear muffs. But the fall months, especially October, are magical to me.  The feeling of change that envelops the landscape produces the same effect on my heart; I feel a restless feeling, a desire to experience something different. Fortunately Prescott’s north enough to go through a fall phase. It’s majestic to drive down White Spar to work in the mornings. The leaves are all turning brilliant reds and yellows and Granite Mountain stands in the background.  I haven’t bought a pumpkin or even thought of a Halloween costume, but I’ve let the scarves and woolen sweaters emerge from the dusty boxes and sport them over my summer floral dresses.  

Oddly I feel most nostalgic during the fall months. I don’t really go to festivals during any other time of year, but I’ve gone to more Octoberfest’s and Harvest Festivals then I can count in the past few years. Over the course of my trip to Chicago last weekend I had a chance to go to my friend Lindsey’s hometown’s “Pork and Apple Festival”. It was delightfully rural and quaint, with hatchet tossing contests, wood carving, and homemade apple cider that tasted like the Midwestern version of the “nectar of the gods”. Walking around the festival that Saturday under the pure blue skies made me feel like I was right back home in Iowa. The town was so small, and honestly seemed just like every other small farming town, with cornfields flanking each side and old homes with wide porches. It had been awhile since I had the chance to return down memory lane like that.  However nice it may seem I always get the unsettling feeling that I could never return to that.

On a similar note, I’ve heard the Grand Canyon and the surrounding area is beautiful in the fall. It’s a shame really, this whole government shutdown thing. My friend Kristen works up there, she’s always wanted to be a park ranger up there and finally her chance came. Horrible timing government! On top of people going out of work, they took away so many outdoor enthusiasts hiking and camping trips to the National Parks, where it’s so beautiful this time of year. That just makes me sad.  I think I’ll just sit on my couch today and read a novel with some hot drinks, fall style.