The End Where I Begin (a repeat?)

Yesterday was the first day where I actually accepted the fact that it is going to be fall soon... well, that the weather would catch up to the season, I guess...

I thought about all of the winter things--traditions, food, decorations... it made me excited for it. Then, I started wondering if I really do want to live somewhere warm? I'm not sure a cup of super thick hot chocolate and a slice of pumpkin pie work out too well if it isn't cold outside. And cranberry sauce. Hmmm. Made an apple-cranberry chutney yesterday.

Yeah, I guess there is a time and place for the cold... I don't know why, but it seems like most of my family's traditions are all for the winter. I mean, there's the 4th of July tradition of boating, tubing, listening to the symphony, but that's really the only summer thing I can think of.

Have you ever been to a candlelight service? We used to go to one at a really traditional Christian church when I was little. I remember my mom forcing me to wear these itchy wool sweaters, being given a candle at the beginning of the service, singing tons of Christmas carols, then lighting the candle at the end of the service, dimming the lights, and singing "Silent Night" by candlelight. We'd pile in the car after the service and drive around, looking at the Christmas lights in this one area where they'd go all out. Then, we'd head home, head upstairs, head to bed. Sometimes, I'd lay underneath the Christmas tree and stare up at all the lights. I know they don't really give off tons of heat, but it still felt warm.

I actually didn't like Christmas morning too much--that was the time when you knew it was coming to an end.

But man, we're not even to Halloween. I do remember going door to door as fast as possible, getting home and dumping out all of our candy and spending the next few hours trading my siblings for what I wanted--Reese's and Crunch bars, for the most part. Pumpkin carving and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Yeah, this is an ok time of year, even if I do hate the cold...