Racing Full Speed in to Fall

When Labor Day is over I always feel a sense of sadness. Summer, as far as I am concerned, is over and it is time to start the race through fall. Between horse shows, football, festivals and school every day and every weekend is packed to the rim with activities. The days begin getting shorter, the evenings cooler and my power bill goes down. Positive and negatives balancing their order in the universe.

Fall is my favorite season and not just because it's the season of my birthday. In fall, the air seems cleaner and the blue of the sky is bright enough to blind you. The crunch of newly fallen leaves under the horses' hooves as we trample through the forest on trail rides is soothing to my heart and soul. Watching the turn of summer into the dying embers of fall, a reminder of our limited time of this earth.

Memories of Friday night football games mix with after game dances in the high school gym as I wander the many long ago falls of my youth. They are followed by Saturday morning's of raking yards and burning leaves, along with hay rides, pumpkin patches, and bonfires. A simpler childhood, uncomplicated by electronic devices of all nature. How I have often longed for my children to have that same peace we enjoyed so many years ago.

Not too long ago our girl scout troop went to a corn maze during Halloween. The girls spent hours chasing each other around through the dying corn stalks, laughing ,shrieking at times, as each met with others in the 20 acre maze. Afterwards we all drank hot apple cider and sat around the bonfire roasting marshmallows to make s'mores.  As the hour grew later, the camp songs started and soon even strangers were singing along with us.

The simpler things in life bring us together, remind us we are a community of like minded Americans. They make the harshness of the conflicts around the world seem far away. I know that sounds horrible, but don't we all need a little escapism every now and then?

Oh...
BTW - the helpful hubby is turning 50 this weekend, so I'll be back on Monday with a preview of my first contemporary romance, January Frost, due out this fall from Keith Publishing.  Stop by and check it out!

'F' is for Football, Especially in the South

I know that is it spring, but already teams are readying themselves for the Fall Gridiron Spectacle known as Football.

Don't get me wrong, I love baseball. Maybe one day the Braves will actually make it all the way again. I wonder if they hold the record for most times close but never there? I remember going to watch the games at the old Atlanta Stadium back in the 70's, where a ticket got you into the door, but there were so few people you could sit wherever you wanted.

I saw Hank Aaron hit quite a few of his home runs, listened to the games on the AM radio my father kept beside his bed with my pillow on the floor; but always and forever the fall weekends belong to football. On Friday night it is the high school games with their sense of community.  But Saturday the gloves come off and it is time for old rivals to square off again as college ball takes center stage.

We are a house divided. I cheer for the blue & gold of Georgia Tech. My son, alas, is a UGA Bulldog. And if that wasn't bad enough, now my daughter is hell bend on attending Auburn. Go War Eagle.

For those who manage to survive Saturday, grab a hair of the dog and hang on because the Falcons play on Sunday. That slides us back around to Monday where we will gather around the water cooler and debate the various games and teams until Friday rolls around and we start the entire circus all over again.

Yep, I love baseball, but give me a case of good old fashioned hatred anytime!