Fall

Fall is in the air.

It has a certain scent. There’s a crispness. It’s not cold, but there’s the hint of cooler temperatures and the snow that will arrive in a few months. The once lush, green leaves begin to turn colors before letting go of the branches and gracefully floating to the ground.

Each season has a smell associated with it. This time of the year it’s anything apple or pumpkin related. And while I love the way these smells fill the stores as well as my house, the seasonal sent I’m really talking about is the one produced by nature.

Last week I went apple picking. I normally don’t eat a lot of apples, but enjoy turning them into all the delicious goodies (like pie) and love the art of apple picking. (And I can’t forget about those apple cider doughnuts.) Plus, I take great delight in being in an apple orchard. While walking up and down the rows of apples that lovely scent caught my attention and filled my lungs as I breathed in. There’s something special about being in the middle of an apple orchard, picking fresh apples, with the smell and colors of all around.

It’s a bit hard to put into words. (Not that I know if I would want to anyway, for fear of taking away the true magic of the season.) But, have you ever walked through the woods this time of year? Simply stepped outside? Have you ever been hit with the smell of the earth, the crispness in the air?

I believe all of that, and more, is the scent of fall.