Autumnal bliss

Autumn is here!  Not only is today the day of the autumnal equinox but also it's feeling like autumn - with a cool breeze in your hair, pumpkin spice lattes in cafes, and candy corn on store shelves.  It's my favorite season of the year.

It makes me happy just strolling outside, where the temperature is ideal and the sky is usually overcast.  You really feel the crispness of the air.  When I was a child, my dad and I would go on hikes, and I'd collect the most beautiful fallen leaves and acorns (don't worry, there were plenty left for the squirrels).  I still love seeing the leaves change color, but it's a little more difficult now that I live in a city.  At least it's better than when I was living on the west coast, since I can at least go to a park that has trees . . . or enjoy a stranger's bike decoration on the street:

Thinking about autumn, my idealized autumn, brings about a calm.  I'm ready to relax with a cuppa tea and listen to one of my favorite jazz standards, Autumn Leaves.