Illustrated by Baby Girl Nikki, Nicole’s graddaughter. Nikki’s illustration shows each leaf 🍁 is pronounced with it’s own individual vines of life 🍁

My first autumn memory, which stays with me, was returning to school after summer break. Each year, a few days after Labor Day, of course before there was the alarm of climate change, it would rain nonstop in our city. For days, it would rain as if we were in the middle of monsoon season. Although we wore rain coats and carried an umbrella, the rain would come down horizontally and we were soaked.

I remember as a little girl, at the end of what I refer to as monsoon season, the sun would come out, shining so brightly, we had to wink to see our hands before us.

I remember as a little girl, after the rainy period, the shedding of the colorful autumn leaves would appear. As the leaves begin to doze off the trees, I knew the spring and summer had completed their yearly journey.

I remember as a little girl, after the true notice of autumn arrived, the leaves graciously begin to slow dance from the trees with a gentle slumber.

I noticed the different color variation of the falling leaves. I noticed the yellow-green sugar maple leaves that are more subtle but no less beautiful or distinct.

I notice the majestic orange-red color leaves, which peak a bright vapor of pastel green pattered with orange that presents a striking diverse appearance.

And, I noticed the most colorful leaves in autumn, the maple red leaves that can be a brilliant scarlet or a maroon, that just takes your breath away.

Those of you who are visual people, who have a more profound sight of seeing a picture as I see; can you imagine seeing a little girl twirling around and around in the colorful leaves that are falling from the trees with the wind gusting her to a point of breathless laughter.

Can You See Her?

Those of you who are audio people, who can hear what I hear; those of you with a higher hearing pitch of accuracy, can you imagine hearing the wind swirling the colorful leaves around a little girl demanding that she run faster and faster in the blowing leaves, taking her breath away.

Can You Hear the Wind Blowing?

Prior to my stroke, as an elder-hood person, I had forgotten all about observing nature’s beauty. Take time out in your life, on any day, as they say, smell the roses. Take time out to re-introduce yourself to nature; the rivers, the lakes, the mountains, the clouds, trees and flowers. They are nature as you are nature. You may surprise yourself how accommodating and peaceful you can be, sharing time with another species of nature.

I now understand autumn is my favor time of year. Autumn is a beginning and ending of a season who shows you how gently life can be, if you allow it.

As a little girl, these are my greatest “Fall Memories”