After enjoying exceptional weather for most of the month of September, I’ve not been impressed too much with October thus far. Today it was dark and gloomy and the wind was gusting over 20 mph when I left for my walk. It was a “hold onto your hat” kind of day and will continue like that through the weekend.

Since it took forever to lighten up outside and I had a busy work schedule today, I just took a short walk, bypassing all my favorite haunts. Speaking of haunts, this wicked wind has torn down some of the Halloween decorations and I saw a plastic ghost rolling down the middle of the street on its own volition. It sure was not the ghastliest apparition, especially on the return trip when I noticed that a car had done it in, and one crushed Casper was squashed flat at the curb.

During my three-mile trek, I saw many parents and kids leaving the house for school. They were all doing the mad dash from the front door to the car … you know those moves you make once that first cold and unwelcome breath of Fall greets you in the early morning.

As I walked along, I scuffed through the leaves on the sidewalk, and watched as the wind whipped them from the trees, across driveways and along the street to join their counterparts. It was kind of sad actually – all those beautiful trees, so recently gussied up in their gold, rust or red “accessories”, and now they are probably shivering after this hasty departure of all their leaves in one fell swoop. I sure can’t blame them; this raw-feeling morning left me somewhat shivery myself.

Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the Fall. ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald