Autumn by Sally Tilbury

The Fall season began in late September. This was the season that required raking. We truly enjoyed raking leaves into piles in the gutter and to watch Dad strike the match and begin the fire ritual. The leaves would burn endlessly while we added more to the steaming pile. They smoked up the neighborhood. The neighbors did the same thing into October and beyond. You sensed a camaraderie among the dads.  The smell of burning leaves belonged to this process alone.

In the days ahead the piles of leaves were reduced to ashes. November would come followed by chilly nights, heavier blankets and Grandma’s quilts. We hoped to make ice by Thanksgiving. That signaled the beginning of Winter.

The positive thing about the changing of the seasons is that children look forward to the next and wonder what that particular season might challenge them and what new adventures it might offer.

Children know.