The weather is finally getting cooler here in Mississippi. It’s October, the State Fair is in town, and cooler temperatures are welcome. We lived in Rhode Island and Canada for 12 years. The four seasons were expected, and we indeed enjoyed waiting for them. Anticipating a season, living in the season, and watching the next one unfold made the passage of time vivid and distinct.
Autumn, as it deserves to be called in that region of the country, was spectacular.
Now we find ourselves back in Mississippi and only see pictures on social media of foliage along the East coast.
Living in the region each year amazed us with the bright trees. I imagine God took out a brand new box of crayons year after year to color each leaf! God needs no filter; living color is unadulterated.
Those years watching the Autumn parade of glorious color were intensely enjoyable. Just being around this exclamation of God’s creation was something we looked forward to. Undoubtedly, one could never get used to it! We appreciated it as deeply as our souls would allow us.
I wonder, how can anyone look at the vivid brightness of color and not respond in worship? Who else but God could order a tree to produce such a dazzling glow?
Usually, it was a storm that ended all this brilliance. Strong winds would blow, and each leaf would stray from the strong branches and swirl to the ground.
Now in Mississippi, we have to look a little more intentionally, but you can see a few trees coloring if you look for it. The ground is covered in crunchy leaves, and soft breezes usher in the season. The ground is covered, and gentle breezes blow to usher in the season. There are, of course, certain places like the Natchez Trace that have some color all in one place.
Spider webs mysteriously appear and multiply, and their intricate designs are worthy to behold. The color of the skies in October is outstanding. My husband calls it October blue. The light shining through the trees can be a photographer’s thrill.
The colors, shapes, and textures of the gourds on display at the grocery store capture my attention every year. And white has come on the scene as an added pumpkin color. Well, if it’s possible to make a pumpkin elegant, that color certainly does it.
Then there are the chilly mornings like this one that cause you to stand in front of your closet a little longer to find that vest from last year or a softer shirt to throw on.
Fall in Mississippi has beauty unique to the region. For me, the Northeast has Autumn. Mississippi has fall.
The transition from the intense summer blaze to the soft, transitional cooling may not be as dramatic as the Northeast region of the US, but Mississippi has its own markers. Football and hot chocolate, that first chilly morning, church fall festivals, flannel shirts, an evening at the fair, or a hike at a state park all mark the season. Maybe you’ve seen some lovely fall colors, or you have an activity you do this time of year. Let’s not miss one day. Whether you call it fall or Autumn, there’s no doubt there is a Creator God who engineers the timing of this gentle, cooler season that begs for a change of activity to warm our hearts.
L.M. Montgomery said, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
©Valerie Rumfelt
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Valerie Rumfelt 