What Do You Love About Fall?

Mara here. Ah, it's September.

Even though the temperatures where I live are still in the 90s, and we have a rash of crazy wildfires, now that it's past Labor Day—it's Fall!!

I love Fall.

It's exciting because I love that the temperatures get cooler but aren't cold. I love that the days get shorter. I love that we "fall back" meaning we get to reclaim an extra hour of sleep. I love that it means that it will soon be Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and then Christmas.

When Malia was younger, it meant that she was back in school, which was always a welcome change from the chaos of summer. I know Spring is supposed to be the season of rebirth and rejuvenation, but that's how Fall feels to me. By the end of Summer, I feel wilted.

Fall makes me perk up.

In theory, Fall means that leaves on the trees change colors. But I live in Los Angeles, so all it really means is that the days start to get shorter because Southern California doesn't really start to get cold until November.

I have lived in places where there were actual seasons—and the mass color change in leaves is pretty spectacular to witness. When we lived on the East Coast, I remember how surprised I was to actually feel a change in the air when the seasons changed.

But even as a kid growing up in Northern California, Fall meant being able to play outside without worrying about heatstroke, and getting to wear new sweaters that we bought for back to school. Fall meant that we could start planning our costumes for Halloween and dream about all the candy we would get to eat. In grade school, it meant being excited about school pictures. And as I got older, it meant looking forward to the first school dance of the year.

Now I just look forward to getting away from the heat of summer and enjoying the winter holidays, which are my favorites.

And you can make fun of me if you want, but I like pumpkin-flavored things. I like pumpkin-flavored drinks, pumpkin-flavored pastries, pumpkin-flavored candy—and pumpkin soup is one of my favorites!! (We make the Bobby Flay recipe and it's delicious!)

Life has always just felt more festive to me in the Fall. Fall is by far my favorite season!

So yay!! It's finally here.

***

Toni here.

I love that, by Fall, the sun has moved far enough south to shine into the three south-facing windows in my bedroom. It makes the room feel like a greenhouse (and my indoor bonsai thrive in sun lit windows).

I love that, by Fall, the few perennials I'm successful at growing—lantana and plumbago—are at their fullest and brightest.

And I love that Fall comes before Winter, not before California's Central Valley blazing Summers.


What about you? What do you enjoy about Fall?

A "line and wash" watercolor by Toni with Fall leaves