Makes me wanna take a back road...

In Michigan we have the most gorgeous Indian Summer's. It's the time when the weather stays warm and the sun comes out and the trees are all transforming from green to shades of burnt orange, red and gold. It's when you can smell burning leaves in the air, feel the warmth of the sun on your face and absorb all of the colors bursting around you. It happens to be my favorite time of year here. It's a time that is full of hope and renewal. It is the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana, and Yom Kippur. A time to make apologies to those you have hurt, and to pray for forgiveness and to start fresh. A time to buy pumpkins, and mums and to rake leaves. It is a time for Halloween, and Thanksgiving and visisting cider mills. It is a time to go for long walks and admire the beauty around us, and to breathe long, deep breaths and give thanks for being alive. The days get shorter, and the nights get colder. So snuggling with the kids, or dogs, or loved ones becomes are priority. It is a time to cook more, bake more, and sit longer after the meal is gone.
Change is good. Change is renewal. Change is a time to reflect and improve and to feel energized. Season's give us change. Season's define so many parts of our daily activity. So, in the Fall, we prepare for winter. We cut back our gardens, empty the birdbaths, fertalize the lawn, and put away our flip flops. We get our our scarves, and hats and Uggs. We open the windows, and sleep in the cool Autumn air. We let the freedoms of Summer slip away and refocus on work, and school, and a schedule.
As I drove home from dropping my kids at school this morning, I noticed the sunbeams streaming through the tall pines, each one like a beam of golden glitter. It made me stop, just to admire it's beauty. The beauty of a crisp fall morning that couldn't have started any better. These Michigan fall days make me wanna take the back roads, just like the song, by Rodney Adkins. That song, "Take a back road," and an Indian summer, have a way of just recharging your soul. If you get the chance, take a back road. You'll be amazed what it can do to lift your mood.