The Sense of Fall

What is it about fall that brings back so many memories? It seems to me that in fall, more than any other season, that every single sense is being used. Sensing these changes is almost like reaching back into my memory and allowing me, for only a moment, to go back to my childhood. The usual scenery is changing to a beautiful landscape, like a painting with vibrant and rustic colors emerging everywhere you turn. The leaves on the trees change from the steady greens to an alluring array of reds, oranges and yellows. It makes me thing about the long car rides to my cabin up north. I remember the peaceful feeling that came over me as I watched the colorful leaves along the highway and wooded hills in the distance; it helped make the long drive pass much more quickly.

The smell of carving pumkins, baking the seeds and pumkin pie are among my favorite scents. Everytime I catch a whiff I can't help but get that cozy and heart-warming feeling inside. My mom would make the BEST pumpkin seeds ever. My brother, sister and I would carve our pumpkins and sort out the seeds from the goo; the mess and time did pay off though..we knew we had a treat coming our way. She'd take those seeds and flavor them up with spices: sometimes the seeds would be nutty, sometimes salty, sometimes cinnamon-y, and sometimes even cajun (my dads favorite). Nothing beats the memories that pour in when I smell that fall air.

Here's one I know that we all can relate to: the sound and feeling of the crunching leaves beneath our feet and leaves rustling in the wind. Now if that doesn't bring back some type of memory I don't know what does. I mostly think about being so excited to rake up the leaves and make the biggest leaf pile on the block, always competing with neighborhood kids. Who's was bigger and taller and who could keep they're pile the longest before they're parents brushed them into the street. One funny memory that comes back when I think about playing in the leaves is one from when I stayed the night at my grandmothers house. I was in about the 3rd grade and my little brother helped me to rake a rather large leaf pile. My grandmother told us she was going to get a pizza delivered to the house and when it came it was time to come in for the night. My brother and I decided to make the most of our fun, so we hid in this leaf pile until the pizza deliver boy came to the front porch. As he was walking up we jumped out and scared him, nearly causing him to drop our pizza! We thought we were so funny.

Every year when fall rolls around, I know that I will have the opportinty to temporarily go back into my memory and see those memories one more time. All senses are full engaged, and must be fully engaged to challenge what fall has in for us..more memories to be built. I can't wait until I start a family of my own to help create and share memories that fall has created for me.