The Smell of Fall

When I rolled over and slung feet over the edge of the bed this morning my eyes were barely open. As my husband would say, you could have blindfolded me with a piece of dental floss. I slipped my feet into his shoes because they were closest to the bed, walked mechanically through the living room, clicked a leash onto the dog's collar and opened the front door. That's when it happened!

A familiar scent, so faint that it could have gone unnoticed, kissed my nose. I shut my eyes tighter, leaned against the unfinished porch post and breathed deeply. There is was again, I knew it! As I stood there, the same breeze that brushed across my cheeks swept through the trees and made the smallest rattling sound. This is not the brushing sound of a summer breeze that moves through leaves moist and alive but the sound of leaves drying and tapping against each other before they fall to the ground. This opened my eyes.

The sky was that amazing color of blue that you can only see when the summer haze starts to fade away. It is bright and vibrant, and though all of the greenery around may be dying, this blue reminds you that something is about to come to life. I closed my eyes again and smiled, this time anticipating things to come.