The days grow short and Summer wanes.

Though the heat belies and feigns,
The days grow short and Summer wanes,
Too soon for some, the days flew past
But for me Fall draws nigh at last!
         (R Weisser 2014)

Some folks look forward to Summer. They long for hot, sunny, lazy days lounging by the pool or on the beach.

For others the snows of Winter provide the backdrop for sports and strenuous outdoor activities that warm the body and invigorate the soul.

And there are those that prefer the explosion of Spring blooms with the promise of renewal and a fresh start.

But I am a Fall person. And although we are now experiencing the hottest weather of the year, the calendar cannot be conquered. As we race towards the equinox I can already discern that many of the Summer tones are becoming more muted.

I look forward to the sound of freshly fallen colored leaves crunching beneath my hiking boots and the perfume of late wildflowers in the Autumn air.

I love the chill of the early Fall mornings that is mitigated by dryer, sunny afternoons the present the ever changing palette of hues in a different light every hour of every day.

I can think of no greater pleasure than to be on a trail in a remote area, out of range of everything modern and distracting, drinking in the ancient energy of the planet and refreshing my being with the tonic of the Autumnal forest.

Although I have a few weeks yet to wait, I am ready!

And I really need it!

Photo: Andrews Bald in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by Richard Weisser and SmokyPhotos.com.