Welcoming Another Fall Season

While summer continues its best to hold on, fall has been able to raise its head for a day here and there.

Last week’s cooler temperatures in my neck of the woods told me that fall was indeed going to grace us with its appearance.

It is, after all, late October and that indicates fall as much as anything, even though on certain days the temperature continues to climb into the 80s.

Fall has always been my favorite season with spring finishing a close second. I’ve never been a big fan of the extreme seasons (winter and summer) and there’s truly nothing like those crisp, autumn mornings when you have to consider wearing a light jacket at least.

There are many good things to associate with fall. One, of course, is football. From the high school football on Friday nights to the college games on Saturdays to the pros on Sundays, football and fall will always be a perfect combination.

Fall is also associated with family and friends. We are closing in on Thanksgiving and while we should never wait until a date on the calendar prompts us, it’s a great time to remember what is truly important in life. Family gatherings can take place anytime but the ones held this time of the year always seem a little more special.

Friendship is also something I value and recently a former co-worker stopped by my house for a visit. We talked about our families, work and even our pets. It happened on a day when the weather made it possible to do so, not so warm that it was too uncomfortable.

It’s easier to keep track of your friends in 2016. From texting to Facebook to email, there’s no excuse for not checking in on those who mean a lot to us. The old saying “friends are the family you pick” is certainly true. I am thankful for my friends and try to be all during the year. That sense of thankfulness just seems to be more in the forefront in the fall.

Fall festivals are also something I look forward to. It seems practically every town has one now, including our own Deer Festival in Jasper County. Seeing the homemade crafts and foods for sale are always a treat and seeing friends and associates make the day special.

As I write this column on Sunday afternoon there is one downside to fall and that is the earlier arrival of darkness. We have not even gone through the semi-annual time change yet and daylight is fading fast. Despite this, fall is still good for the mind, body and spirit.

I had a rare week off from work this past week. In between the time I spent doing various items in preparation for a new job, I had the chance to visit a state park in the town where I live. The color of the leaves made for a landscape perfect for an artist to break out a canvas and go to work. A photographer could easily capture breathtaking photos on days such as these.

Yes, the splendor of fall is here again. Its beauty is all around us. We can see it see on our daily ventures or on a trek to the North Georgia mountains. Personally, I’m glad it’s with us again. It was a brutal summer in many ways with too much heat and not enough rain.

While we can still use some rain, fall is just about in full force as we reach November. I say, “Welcome back” to this old friend.

Monticello native Chris Bridges is a long-time newspaper columnist. He welcomes feedback from readers of The Monticello News at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.