AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR

This morning I stepped outside to drive my wife to work, and a sort of elation came over me. The air had a crispness to it that was oh so familiar and welcomed after the hot summer we've had here in the Pacific Northwest. It smelled of wet leaves and dew, deep and rich, with wonderful chill and a distinct sprinkling of spices (like a subtle hint of nutmeg.) Images of pumpkin pie, golden orange leaves, and cheap plastic Halloween masks played through my mind like an old song once forgotten and suddenly remembered. I turned to my wife and said, "Fall is a' comin. Halloween is on its way." I had a big, goofy grin on my face, and she looked at me with a crooked smile – the kind of smile that said, "You are such a big kid," without having to use any words.

The truth of the matter is...I am. A big kid that loves Fall, Halloween, and all the magic and mystery that comes along with it.