The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter.

In this Autumn of the year there be image Pictorial earthtone's.....the artist's nirvana Flecks of shades....bleed into each spray Summer's closure.....sets on the causway In this Autumn of the year there be breeze Whisps feathering past......your ear lobes In contrast to the gusts.....of Winter's sting Autumn hails its thrust upon colored wings In this Autumn of the year, there be rainfall A subtle, chilling mist........that feeds th'soil Preparing, for the fast confronting harvest Showerings fall like angel-hair........tingling In this Autumn of the year..... there be spice A vast potpouri.....of kaleidoscopic majesty Herbs 'n hickory smoke, from chimney tops Country fairs and downtown sidewalk stops In this Autumn of the year there be romance Love that flowers 'n bonds with Soul n' Spirit Spirits of October and Souls of Hallows Eve A cornucopia of gift.....that's what autumn be Frank James Ryan, Jr. Maybe I was a little distracted in rehearsal today. Oversized cardigans. Knit slipper socks. Fireplaces. Hot tea. Flannel sheets. Change. Big scarves & boots. Cidermills. Halloween. Sweet potatoes. Using the chill in the air as an excuse to stay cuddled close together. Apple picking. Scary movies. Pumpkin spice soy lattes. Long walks. Candy apples. For a few months the entire world's been washed in the most brilliant palette of my most favorite colors & everything seems to reflect the constant state of change life brings. Despite the melancholy feeling in the pit of my stomach, an annual symptom of my favorite season, my mind refuses to conceive anything but the most delicious of early mornings, afternoons & all night marathons filled with my favorite movies, autumn activities, people & treats. Sleeping late & breakfast in bed under flannel sheets & down comforters. Carving pumpkins with my favorite people after a day long excursion to the cidermill. All night Halloween movie marathons with popcorn & Halloween candy. Need I say more? Each daydream tucked away in the back of my mind; in the form of snapshots resembling a spread from an Anthropologie catalogue... Everything about autumn is so romantic. ro⋅man⋅tic  [roh-man-tik] –adjective 1. of, pertaining to, or of the nature of romance; characteristic or suggestive of the world of romance: a romantic adventure. 2. fanciful; impractical; unrealistic: romantic ideas. 3. imbued with or dominated by idealism, a desire for adventure, chivalry, etc. 4. characterized by a preoccupation with love or by the idealizing of love or one's beloved. 5. displaying or expressing love or strong affection. 6. ardent; passionate; fervent. 7. (usually initial capital letter) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a style of literature and art that subordinates form to content, encourages freedom of treatment, emphasizes imagination, emotion, and introspection, and often celebrates nature, the ordinary person, and freedom of the spirit (contrasted with classical ). 9. imaginary, fictitious, or fabulous. Today is the first day of the second retreat required to complete Life/Teacher Training from one of my favorite places on earth, the Yoga Shelter. (www.yogashelter.com) I attended the first one in late August & it was a life changing experience. I learned so much & made friends with a handful of inspiring, brilliant, incredible people. Although I'm very thankful that I'm here doing what I love, I wish so much that I could be there to continue the journey that we began back in August, with them. To my beautiful YS peeps: I love you all very, very much, I wish that you all get the most you can out of these next few days. I will be there in spirit, thinking about all of you & just might have to rock sparkly green eyeshadow in your honor!! Namaste. "Everything you need you already have. You are complete right now, you are a whole, total person, not an apprentice person on the way to someplace else. Your completeness must be understood by you and experienced in your thoughts as your own personal reality."Dyer, Wayne