The Smell of Fall

There's something about the smell of fall that makes me happy. As far back as I can remember it's had an effect on me. I've noticed that the other seasons all smell the same, it's just fall that smells different. Fall smells like Halloween, like raking leaves, carving pumpkins, like mittens and scarves, apple cider and wool socks, fires in the fire place, rosy cheeks and runny noses. The thing about this smell is that it finds you wherever you are. Even here in the city. Take a deep breath and you can smell the leaves changing colour.

We played outside all the time when I was a kid, and fall marked the very exciting period of time when the yard had to be raked. That's one of the advantages of living a rural childhood; outside chores are fun. We would gather all our friends together and move from house to house in the neighbourhood raking leaves, jumping in them and raking them up again. We came home at dinner time with leaves in our hair and the sniffles from being outside.

I wish I could play like I used to.