Fall is in the air

At least for this week -- fall is in the air. Our temperatures here in the South Georgia can vary from the high 80s one week to the low 70s the next week. There is a crispness in the air, a gentle breeze and sunshine. I can feel the season changing. I love the fall of the year. It was not always my favorite time of the year. I use to think of it as being a sad time as the leaves fell from the tree and left them looking so cold and barren. I now glory in the change that takes place prior to that - the colors of the leaves sharing their beauty for all to see. Each and every one of them a different shade of gold, yellow, orange, red. We don't get the "full blown" colors that many of you do but what we do have is glorious.

I am not one much for raking leaves. I just let them do their "thing". I learned that lesson the hard way about 28 years ago when I thought I would rake our 2 acre yard and get them all in nice piles and burn them. Thought I would surprise the hubby and have the yard all nice and clean when he got home. I didn't think to have a water hose near "just in case" there were to come up a slight breeze. I guess you know where I am going with this. So I started burning the pile. Did I mention that at the time our oldest daughter was outside with me and our youngest daughter, about 8 months old, was in the house taking a nap? Can you see disaster coming? Yep, one little breeze came along and took one of those tiny leaves and carried it to another part of the yard. Did I also mention that the grass was very, very dry? Immediately it began to look like a prairie fire. I tried to do what little I knew how to do to put it out.

Thankfully two of our "neighbors" saw what was going on and came to my rescue. We live in the country so that was a miracle in itself that someone was close enough to help. Kelly, our oldest daughter, and I sat on the front steps and watched as they worked very quickly to put out the fire.

Needless to say, I do not rake and burn leaves anymore. My philosophy is this: God puts the leaves on the ground and then He very graciously sends the March winds to blow them away. I like His plan. By the way, Charlie had no clue that I nearly burned the yard and the house up that day.