A Lovely Fall

There is nothing more pleasant than the delightful tension of cold mornings, hot sun, and coffee on the patio in fall. The combination of bracing air, soothing sunwarmth, and caffeine is a perfect balance of drugged stimulation. 

This autumn has been gracious, not below freezing and nicely sunny. It's too dry now, with no rain at all since October 1, but dry warmth is what makes the season so nice.

The Japanese maple has gone from a subtle rust red to a really brilliant scarlet and after several disappointing autumns with it, I couldn't be more pleased this year.

Every other autumn it has succumbed to early frost and just turned brown. This year we've flirted with some 30 degree mornings, but nothing severe yet, and it is showing its famous red fall color.

It has thrived in the garden under the cottonwood. (I took it out of a large container on the deck last spring and it really liked being in the ground all summer.)

Before we left for California the aspens and cottonwoods were glorious, but when we got back all the leaves were down.

But on our driving trip west we saw so many golden yellow cottonwoods in the arroyos and stream beds all through New Mexico and northern Arizona. Just beautiful this year, one of the best autumns for color.

I need to cut back perennials and clean things up outside, but with the nice fall weather I don't want the season to end. I couldn't even part with the faded little wreaths that I took down when I bought new fresh corncob and chile decorations for the front door. 

I need to toss the old wreaths, but both wound up in odd spots in back.

Winter is coming, though, and the lovely fall will end. I'll need to toss the dried out wreaths and think about holiday decorations. 

But for now I am enjoying every last bit of color, warmth, fall decor, and sitting on my deck in the cold air and sun.

 

All I have to do is make the coffee.

  ☕