Changes

I'll try not to get too philosophical, but fall has so many "in-your-face" changes, that it is hard to ignore.  Many of the trees are beautiful now, and many have already lost their leaves.  We had our first killing frost last week, so our gardening is finished for the season, except for the lettuce.  Now it's time to get fall work done so we'll be ready for winter and, in turn, be ready for spring.  Our job list is long.  Today, I started putting another coat of stain on the deck.  I missed doing it last year, so now it really needs it before winter.

The dry weather in these parts has enabled the farmers to harvest soybeans and corn every day for weeks now, so the scenery changes daily; there are more and more empty fields.

I went to a funeral yesterday.  The woman was 97 years old and had been a life-long friend of my mother.  She was kind and generous and will be missed.  A sad change when we lose good people who have been part of our lives.

Then, an unexpected happy change:  a second cousin contacted me whom I did not know existed.  My father was an only child, but his father was one of 12.  His siblings scattered and built their lives in other locations.  I always assumed there should be lots of progeny from that side of the family, so I was pleased when this "new" cousin contacted me.

Another change that signaled the end of baseball season:  the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series!  Now that's a change I can embrace!  We got to watch some exciting baseball games.

Then, there's daylight savings:  that ends on November 6.  I'm never sure if that's a positive or a negative change.  It's just an aggravating one because it takes me a week or two to adjust.

There's the old saying that goes, "The only thing that's constant is change."  That is particularly evident this time of year!