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Have a wonderful Fall season everyone! Eat lots of pumpkin donuts, pumpkin drinks, pumpkin pie, and pumpkin pumpkins! Voice: Kinenz Art: http://www.pusheen.com/ Music: Poem of Yukko (Nichijou OST) Video Editing: Kinenz I ONLY OWN MY OWN VOICE. Follow me on Twitter! https://twitter.com/Kinenzz Follow me on Tumblr! http://marshmallow-palace.tumblr.com/ Like me on Facebook!

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Autumn

BY GRACE PALEY

1

What is sometimes called a

tongue of flame

or an arm extended burning

is only the long

red and orange branch of

a green maple

in early September   reaching

into the greenest field

out of the green woods   at the

edge of which the birch trees

appear a little tattered   tired

of sustaining delicacy

all through the hot summer   re-

minding everyone (in

our family) of a Russian

song   a story

by Chekhov   or my father

2

What is sometimes called a

tongue of flame

or an arm extended   burning

is only the long

red and orange branch of

a green maple

in early September   reaching

into the greenest field

out of the green woods   at the

edge of which the birch trees

appear a little tattered   tired

of sustaining delicacy

all through the hot summer   re-

minding everyone (in

our family) of a Russian

song   a story by

Chekhov or my father on

his own lawn   standing

beside his own wood in

the United States of

America   saying (in Russian)

this birch is a lovely

tree   but among the others

somehow superficial

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[Note: This post was originally published in September 2009. This Sunday, instead of writing, I'm going to be spectating at the Marine Corps Marathon and then visiting the red pandas at the National Zoo. While I'm taking a brief blogging break, I hope you enjoy reading -- or re-reading -- what I love so much about autumn.]

For as long as I can remember, fall has been my favorite time of year. I've always thought this was because I was born in late August so fall was the very first season I experienced. Whether that's the reason or not, the truth is this: I cannot get enough of fall. The colors, the holidays, the changes -- it's all so magical to me. Every year it's similar, but every year feels like I'm experiencing it for the first time. As I've been working for the past few months on living positively in the present moment, it makes a lot of sense to me to celebrate this present of mine -- the beautiful change in season -- and to give some thought to all of the things I love about fall. When talking about happiness, one of the key aspects that often comes up is gratitude. Like many people, I don't spend enough time focusing on what I'm grateful for (and I know I'd be a lot happier if I did!) so today I'm going to write about something I'm grateful right now in this very moment -- the reasons I love fall. So, here you have 'em...

14 Reasons to Fall in Love with Fall

1. Orange is everywhere. It was years ago that Elle in Legally Blonde uttered the unsettling phrase, "Whoever said orange was the new pink is seriously disturbed," and I think she'd be eating her words these days. I've loved orange for as long as I can remember, but it's finally getting its due this year. Check out this article in the LA Times all about how orange is a hot trend for fall. I adore orange so it's always so great for me when fall comes around and suddenly all of the store windows are putting up their orangey goodness. I love orange so much this season, in fact, that I've gone ahead a purchased this orange couch. It was just delivered this week and I'm in orange heaven.

2. It's the most wonderful time of the year. Okay, I know that phrase come from a Christmas song, but Halloween is my Christmas. You know that excited feeling in the pit of your stomach that you get when you're a little kid and Christmas is just around the corner? Yeah, that's how I feel for the whole month of October. I love, love, love Halloween. I love the candy. I love the dressing up. I love the colors (hence the black/white/orange theme of my new apartment). I love it all (well, actually, I don't like anything having to do with frightening things, which makes my little obsession even more peculiar...). I get really, really into Halloween -- decorating, baking, sending cards -- so once fall comes around, it's a signal for the most wonderful, Halloween-y time of the year to begin!

3. The weather becomes dream-like. Where I live, the summers are too hot and humid, the springtime is unpredictable, and the winter is way too cold for my tastes. Fall, however, is perfect. Sometimes I will walk outside and think to myself, "This weather could not possibly be more perfect." It's almost as if the perfect mix of sun and clouds and slight chill was combined together to create the best weather ever. In particular, I love feeling the contrast of a warm day followed by a chilly night. While I often miss the lazy days of summer spent poolside, nothing can compare with the perfect temperatures and soft breeze of an autumn afternoon.

4. The fashion world flourishes. I know it's materialistic and totally uncool in the world of personal development, but I have to admit that I love fashion. I love picking out outfits, trying on clothes, and finding the perfect look. It's completely shallow, I know, but I really find something beautiful in matching colors and fabrics and experimenting with new ideas and trends. Fall is a really important time for fashion. So important, in fact, that there's even a movie out about Vogue's fall issue, The September Issue (can't wait to see it!). Fall is a big deal in the fashion world. Here are 5 Fall-tastic Posts from loyal PP reader, Meream, that you must check out. And here's a great article for the guys about Men's Fall Fashion.

5. You can curl up cozily by a fire. Though in general I'd have to say that fire makes me a little nervous, I love a good fireplace fire. There is absolutely nothing in the world like grabbing a great book (or my Kindle!) and snuggling up to a fireplace alight with oranges and reds and even some deep blues. Even better is when you leave the room for a minute and return to find the fire still blazing, warm and waiting for you. There is nothing like curling up in front of a warm hearth (preferably with a cute animal of some kind) to get that cozy feeling that comes with fall. I'm not a fan of cold weather at all, but, when it starts to get chilly, a fire is a great way to turn up the heat.

6. Fresh school supplies pop up everywhere. Yeah, it's been awhile since I've been in school, but I still love new school supplies. There's nothing like a new pack of pens or a great new notebook to get this little writer all fired up. And markers! Don't even get me started on markers! I'm not even sure why in the world a 26-year-old needs markers, but I certainly love the feeling that comes along with opening a new box and exposing all of those beautiful colors. When I was younger, shopping for school supplies was one of my favorite things to do. I guess it just goes to show that even if you grow up you don't have to stop doing some of your favorite things!

7. New autumnal smells permeate the air. The first time you catch a whiff of smoke coming from a neighbor's chimney, you know fall as officially arrived. That smell mingles in with the dry leaves cluttering the ground and your olfactory senses can't deny that the smell of fall is in the air. When I lived in California, I missed this smell terribly. There is nothing that really compares with it and it's one of those things that would probably go unnoticed if a new (always sunny) environment didn't bring it to your attention. Now that I live back on the east coast, I am so aware of the changing seasons and cannot help but take notice of the way the smells change as the pages of the calendar flip by. Fall is filled with distinguishing scents and they fill my nose with happiness.

8. Leaves are always crackling underfoot. If you love fall, there's nothing like the sound of leaves crinkling and breaking underneath your shoes. It's a sound and a feeling I don't think I've ever grown tired of, no matter how many times I've heard or felt it. In fact, I seek it out. If I can walk through a cluster of leaves or around it, you better believe I'm going to walk through them, doing my best to crunch as many as possible. As a kid, I used to enjoy jumping in piles of leaves, but after hearing one too many stories about potential snake encounters, I've retired that activity. But just because I don't jump in doesn't mean I don't enjoy a good leaf-crunching. It's one of the best fall-time activities there is!

9. The changing trees look like rainbows. As the leaves change, occasionally you'll see a tree that's faded from red to orange to yellow to green. Or you'll see a row of trees that are all changing differently, creating a rainbow-like effect. Since I'm a big fan of color (and rainbows in particular), I love seeing the way nature creates its own on-the-ground rainbows in the fall. It's beautiful to see the leaves changing and it's also pretty amazing that they do it every year. When I was a kid, I used to think it was so magical, as if the trees just knew to change colors. Now, I know better (see this article on " Why Leaves Change Color"), but it's still pretty magical to see it happening, the little shifts in color every day. Beautiful!

10. Skies can transform from slate grey to brilliant blue. The clouds can be hanging low, radiating a deep, dark gray that makes you feel as if you should be at home, in bed, reading your favorite novel with a nice up of tea, and a few moments later the sky can explode into the most brilliant, perfect shade of blue. In the fall, it seems as though the sky is always shifting, not sure if it's ready to settle down in the gloomy overcast of winter and not quite ready to let go of the warm summer sunshine. Having felt this way many times myself (to be gloomy or not to be gloomy...?), I can relate to the weather patterns in the fall. Whether it's a storm-colored or sun-washed sky, there is something equally interesting about the various looks of fall. Some moments are gloriously colorful and others are muted by the skies dark hues. Either way, there is emotion in the autumn skies and I love that about them.

11. Warm drinks heat things up. Now I've seen quite a few mentions about Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Lattes on Twitter and on other blogs, so I'll start there. These things are delicious and you can't get them just any time you want 'em. You have to wait until the fall. And all of that waiting makes them even more delicious. In addition to these delicious drinks, you can also indulge in hot chocolate and warm apple cider. Yum! There's nothing like some mini marshmallows or a swirling cinnamon stick to make you feel warm inside and out. It's especially nice when you can have one of these warm drinks outside, the heat from the liquid warming you every time you take a sip.

12. Football season has its big kickoff. Anyone who knows me and is reading this is probably like, "Whaaaaat?" at the sight this one. I'll be honest; I am not -- and I repeat NOT -- a sports girl. I don't play sports. I don't want to play sports. And, quite honestly, I don't even like watching sports. But there's something about football season (and that's American football for all of you non-USA peeps) that is just exciting. People get so into the games (still not really sure why...) and whenever you watch a game with a bunch of people, there is just this energy in the room with everyone cheering for their favorite teams. Not to mention there are always delicious snacks to be had at any good football party...

13. Seasonal treats make their debut. Some of my favorite foods come out in full force when the weather starts to cool down. For example, apples. They are at their best when it's fall. They are delicious by themselves or (if I'm lucky and my mom makes one) in a pie. And, even more important than apples is candy corn. There is absolutely nothing in the world better than a fresh bag of Brach's candy corn (and, yes, they have to be fresh; stale ones are just no good). Since I don't eat these any other time of the year, they feel like an extra special fall treat when I pick up a big in mid-September. And, yep, there's one stashed in my desk right now!

14. The spirit of change is in the air. I saved one of the best for last. Fall, whether you like it or not, is all about change. The season is changing. The weather (in most places) is changing. Change is all around us and it's deliciously intoxicating. Though many people think of the New Year as a time for change, a time to make resolutions, I've always thought of fall as a great time to change things up. I guess this comes from the fact that, as a kid, fall is the new (school) year. After years and years of getting used to the idea that things would be new in September, I've kind of gotten used to thinking of fall as a time for new beginnings, and that's one of the most wonderful things about this time of year.

Re-reading this post, I'm actually kind of surprised. I always knew I was a fan of the autumn season, but I had know idea I could write this much about it. (You'd think if I had this much to say about a season, I'd be well on my way with that novel already!) But I suppose this post was a good one for me because it gave me a chance to tune in to something that I really love and write a great deal about it. There's nothing like writing a passionate post to brighten an overcast fall day... I would highly recommend writing about something that means a lot to you; even just jotting down a few notes about it will instantly brighten your spirits. Clearly, something that lifts my mood is thinking (and writing!) about fall, but I'd love to hear what you think about this season...

Do you celebrate the awesomeness of autumn as much as I do?
If you're cheering on the change of season, what do you love most about it?
If you're not falling in love with fall, what IS your favorite time of the year? Why?

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(♥) [Note: This post was originally published in September 2009. This Sunday, instead of writing, I'm going to be spectating at the Marine Corps Marathon and then visiting the red pandas at the National Zoo. While I'm taking a brief blogging break, I hope you enjoy reading -- or re-reading -- what I love so much about autumn.]