When I was a kid (it sounds so weird to say that because I still feel like one) I lived in Iowa. Iowa, luckily, experiences the full force of each of the four seasons. Summer is hot and winter is cold. Spring is wet, warming, blooming and beautiful while autumn shows the dying process in beautiful colors while making sweaters begin to not look ridiculous once more. This weekend I was able to share a small part of my experience of fall with my son. Our part of Texas doesn’t typically experience the full and beautiful effect of fall. This year, thankfully, was an exception.
In our little front yard area we were shocked to find some beautiful leaves, mostly yellow (sadly no red or orange from my memories) and I decided that our son needed to experience what little of autumn our Texas landscape would grant us. I decided to lie down in what little pile we could make for ourselves and show our son the colors and sounds of rustling leaves.
My son has always liked being outside and hearing the wind blow through the branches of the trees in our front yard. He especially likes the subtle dancing of the sunlight through the leaves on our garage. Today was a very fun experience for him and for me. Mom was there with the camera snapping photos before we traded places and I got behind the lens.
The photos will never do justice to the event itself. Having effectively skipped Halloween this year I couldn’t possibly pass up this perfect day of Autumn fun with my son. I find myself really looking forward my son being able to walk and grab things effectively. When he can pick up sticks and swing them at leaves. When he can kick leaves and make piles and jump into them. Perhaps he’ll even get me back into shape. An autumn day made me think of all these things. Thanks, Autumn.