Thursday, October 28, 2010

Bittersweet Fall



I have a good feeling about fall in Iowa. I have never lived in a place where trees spring up at will, without coaxing and coddling and irrigation. And the trees are not only dense but also deciduous. That means every one of them is destined to go down to their ugly winter slumber in a fabulous blaze of color.





And how can I help but love fall? I can't resist crunching leaves under my feet, feeling a tiny nip in the air, getting excited for Halloween even though I don't have any kids to bum candy from, eating pumpkin cookies, drinking hot chocolate, and knowing that Christmas is getting soooooo close.



 

But I can't enjoy it. Not fully. Every beauty and pleasure of the fall is tainted with the bitter flavor of winter's imminent arrival. And I have a BIG problemo with winter. To me, aside from the glories of cross-country skiing, and the magical white Christmas, winter is 4 months of endless, shivering misery.



So, welcome fall! You're beautiful. But if you ever catch me weeping as I take in your beauties, they are not tears of joy or wonder.

They are tears of dread.

3 comments:

  1. oh Camber, I love reading your blog! you are a really good writer. Seriously, have you considered writing a book or something? because you are really good at it. Seriously.

    We miss you two! I hope that you have lots of really warm clothes for the upcoming cold misery of winter.

    love, Catherine

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  2. I have felt like that too about fall, especially in Utah before we moved to the Midwest. Now that fall is actually pretty warm AND beautiful, I have come to love it for the 3 month season it is, and not just dread the cold winter approaching. Seriously, it was in the 80's here in St. Louis last weekend, and I hear in Utah it has already snowed! So, I'm taking it all in here and not really missing the falls in Utah. When I was a kid, I always had to trick-or-treat with a winter coat on; here, I would barely need a jacket most years.

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  3. I completely agree. I love fall. Winter definitely isn't my favorite season so I dread it as well. I love reading your blog posts. You guys are great writers.

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