And the rituals of Fall begin in earnest
once the thermostat calls for heat.
Air conditioner vents closed,
as the furnace assumes its place of dominance
for the long months ahead.
Mums and pumpkins guard the door.
Squash and apples fill bowls on the kitchen counter.
Happens quickly and predictably.
We know it’s coming, so why the surprise?
Mornings are slow to arrive.
Open drapes frame blinking yellow
among the green in the oaks in the yard.
All but empty beach still a draw,
but sweatshirts protect against the October chill.
Blue water of summer tending towards gray.
Pumpkin carving trumping sand castle building
as the project of the day.
And so we’ll reach for fleece to ward off the chill;
bake a pie perhaps, or stir a pot of soup.
Each season has its own rituals.
In Fall, we button up and wind down.