An ode to fall

Autumn seems to have crept unassumingly into Seattle.  I find this odd, because fall usually hits Seattle like a punch in the gut.  In past years, summer has ended abruptly the minute the sun disappears from the sky.  The clouds roll in, sprinkling for days on September's brown grass, and then we are faced with endless 10 day forecasts of 50 degrees and rainy.

But this year, autumn has tiptoed its way in, peeking its head around the corner more than a few times before finally deciding to slowly settle in.  I think I noticed the first few color changes about 3 weeks ago.  But the temperatures and sunshine pushed thoughts of fall towards the back of my mind.  A few rainy days came and went, but sun didn't disappear permanently.

Then last weekend, as I pretended to be a tourist with my mom in Seattle, the chill of fall was clearly in the air.  It was quite cold out on a Ride the Duck in the middle of Lake Union.  And at the top of the Space Needle, dots of red could be seen.

See the 2 ginormous spiders on top of that building?  That's what I was actually
trying to take a picture of.

But even while looking down at the red trees, the sky looked like this:

Blue sky in October in Seattle is not the norm.

The signs were mixed, and while my internal time clock was beginning to scream "fall!", the rest of me was having a hard time catching up.  Then the fog rolled in.  And as I waded through the fog on 6am morning walks with Lucy, coming back home with hair that wasn't just damp, but actually wet from the foggy moisture, I began to accept that it is, in fact, autumn.

And this past weekend, as I relished in the not-often-available chance to sit lazily on my couch for almost 2 days straight, I found myself slightly happy that it was gloomy and chilly outside.  Because, in reality, there are a whole lot of things I love about fall...

I love waking up on a dreary Sunday morning in the fall, making a hot cup of coffee, and curling up on the couch with a good book and my favorite pup.

Yep, that's Game of Thrones #4 I'm reading.  It's slow going, but I'm getting
back into it.

Lucy cuddles a whole lot more as the temperatures begin to drop.  I lose my snoring snuggle buddy in the warmth of summer, but as soon as cooler temperatures hit, she's right back on the couch, sharing my warmth and my blanket.

That's her corner of the couch unoccupied down there, and her
brown towel that has been unceremoniously kicked off
the couch.  I've now been restricted to one squished
square of couch space while she happily takes two.

I love running in the fall.  As much as it feels good to be able to put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt to head out for a run, I actually like running much better in the fall.  I am happy to don a pair of running tights, a rain jacket, and a hat to hit the streets.  I much prefer running in 50 degree weather than 80 degree weather.  I like coming in from a post-work de-stressing run with a cold red chill lingering on my cheeks.

I must admittedly say though, that I haven't embraced much fall running yet.  My body seems to unfortunately hate me right now.  Last week, I had an unexplained sore foot for about 4 days, and then when I tried heading out for a run on Thursday afternoon after it was feeling better, my knee pretty much gave out on me at mile 4 (1.5 miles from home).  I ran/walked the rest of the way home in a pain that truly scared me.  I was extremely close to calling up a friend to come save me and drive me home.  Now, on Monday, I haven't run since and have been icing up a storm (a somewhat cruel yet successful method of getting Lucy back to her side of the couch).  Tomorrow I'll attempt a slow, easy run to see how things are feeling.

But, in another truthful admission, I haven't been dying to get out and run these past 4 days as I force a break upon myself.  Which tells me that perhaps I'm not over my burnt-out phase yet, and this little break could be good for me mentally, as well as physically.

I love the way music feels in the fall.  I love music.  When I'm at home, there is not a quiet moment without Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, or my new favorite, Hoopla (free with a public library card, woot woot!), playing.  I love music that grips me and consumes me and and makes me feel things I wouldn't otherwise feel.

I saw the Avett Brothers at Key Arena on Friday.  These
guys are the definition of all-consuming, gripping music
for me.  Especially live.

Now, while I love music at all times, it seems to speak to me differently in the gloominess of fall.  The lyrics reach deeper and the rhythms beat more intensely.  It all seems richer and more passionate when the world outside is slowly shutting down for winter.

I love first grade in the fall.  On a school schedule, fall is a new beginning.  When everything else seems to be coming to an end (summer, sunshine, plant growth, the yearly cycle), the school year is just beginning.  As difficult as it is to face the onset of a new school year, once first grade hits its rhythm and really gets going, the new beginning, growth, and surprising amount of excitement is infectious.  A month or two into school, as we've fallen into our routine, I begin to see all the growth we have ahead of us and my excited motivation to push that growth along increases exponentially.

One of my little ones drew a picture of the classroom at home and put it in the
front of her take-home binder.  That intricately colored and outlined square that
takes up the vast majority of the picture is the carpet that my friends and family
so generously donated to my kiddos through DonorsChoose.org.  It warmed
my soul so much that I had to take a picture.

I love the colors of fall...as much as I love the colors of spring, and yet in an entirely different way.  I love the reds and oranges and yellows and even the browns.  I love the way everything transforms from its bright greens to the brilliant autumn shades.  I love the crunch of those colors as I walk or run down the sidewalk.

I love cooking in the fall.  Especially now that I have my crockpot.  I've made myself chili and corn chowder so far, and I can't wait to experiment with more recipes.  Vegetarian (or chicken/turkey) slow cooker recipe recommendations would be highly appreciated!  Cooking (and eating) in the fall warms me to the soul and makes me feel like all my worries could be swallowed carelessly in the next warm bite.

I love fall wardrobes.  Dresses with leggings.  Boots.  Warm cozy sweaters.  Fuzzy socks and hoodies.  Scarves snuggled around my neck all day long.  Greens, blues, grays, browns.  Muted and understated darks.  Pure coziness to protect against a not-quite-bone-chilling cold.

Fall may have crept its slow way into Seattle this year.  It may have sneakily slithered into the air and into the leaves, but I am ready for it.  Goodbye sunshine.

See you next spring.

Snuggle up and enjoy it.