Man it is so pretty around here right now. The leaves are displaying their beauty in all their fall-colored glory. We are going to take a hike this weekend up in the mountains to see the leaves in peak-color. Should be lots of fun and I should get some great pictures.

Some people from Florida have been teasing me about the upcoming cold of winter. I say bring it on. I have missed seasons tremendously. I didn’t realize it until we got up here, but I have. In fact, I feel like I have “cold-debt” to pay off. After 10 years of summer it is like the sharp crispness of the winter mornings reaches things inside of me that I haven’t felt for … well … a decade or more. Who knows – maybe it’s just menopause.

Here are some things I have been noticing about cold weather:

For some reason coffee smells better on crisp cool mornings. Toasted bagels taste better too. A change in the weather means that a new wardrobe of clothing comes out. This week I have seen people wearing winter caps and heavier jackets and sweaters. Wonderful!

There are smells and vibes and such that can only be experienced through cold and/or wet winter mornings. The smell of woodstoves or furnaces running. The smell of autumn leaves decaying on the ground, mixed with the rain or morning dew. Probably doesn’t seem like much to some people, but if you grew up in it you appreciate it I guess.

Either that or the novelty just hasn’t worn off yet … only time will tell.

But for now I LOVE it!