Fall? What?

Today is September 12th, and though we are not (for another week) officially in the season of fall, I'm starting to believe its here.

This comes as a bit of a shock to me. First, in Arizona, fall does NOT exist until potentially Thanksgiving. We enjoy what? A week and a half of crisp air and that fall-y smell until "winter" hits. Second, I've lived in places with fall before - why have I never noticed that Labor Day marks the demise of summer? Of lazy days at the beach and watermelon and BBQs?

(Answer: because I was younger than 7 or playing a fall collegiate sport each time fall has rolled around)

We aren't running our AC anymore. I sleep under a blanket. When the sun goes down, you don't want to go outside without a sweater. Leaves are changing colors (!) and falling. Apples are in season. Its fall.

When I actually get to experience this time of year, it automatically takes me back to being 5 years old. My earliest (and favorite) memories of my childhood are from fall. I remember going to New Hampshire to pick apples and pumpkins. My sister and I would be dressed alike - big surprise - in red plaid skirts, white Irish sweaters, and black stockings. We would run around the apple orchard like wild women while my pregnant mother dragged my toddler brother behind. We'd pick and eat as many apples as our baskets and stomachs would carry, and would take them to the farmer where he would press them into fresh apple cider. We'd go on hay rides pulled by a giant Clydesdale. We'd go into the little general store and buy apple products - apple juice, apple cider, apple butter, apple candy, dried apples, apple pie - you name it. And then we'd lug home 20 pounds of apples and pumpkins to carve for Halloween.

In an English class in high school we were asked to write a paper on our favorite memory. I chose this - who wouldn't? I wrote my rough draft over a weekend to bring into class for peer editing on Monday, printed it, and accidentally left it on the printer for a few hours. My mom picked it up and read it - I found her bawling in her bedroom. She said my memories of these afternoons were dead on. I don't know why my 4 and 5 year old mind chose to keep this particular memory, except that maybe it was too beautiful to forget.

So, its fall... who wants to send me sweaters and long sleeved shirts?