The Beauty of Autumn...

September 21, 2019

Noticing the beauty all around us in the magnificent season of Autumn!

While substitute teaching some years ago, a book on a teacher's desk caught my attention. (English teachers always have the most interesting books in their classrooms!) I recently came across the book again at the Clarion Free Library and noticed how many of the words and images are perfect for this time of the year as we transition from summer to autumn.

The Happy Book by Barbara Ann Kipfer lists 14,000 things to be happy about. The author points out that her book represents twenty years of recording all the little things that make her happy. She started her record while she was in sixth grade in a spiral notebook and eventually moved on to a computer. Her book includes lots of word pictures to create pleasure and inspiration...

- the "snuggle right in" feeling
- the delicious smell of cooking foor and the hustle and bustle of the preparation
- fresh ginger muffins
- lakeside roads with farm stands offering apples, pumpkins, pears, and other fruits and vegetables
- a suit made to order
- fabric patterns: check, cord, dapple, diamond, dot, floral, geometric, herringbone, pin-check, plaid, polychromatic, print, rib, solid, speckle, stripe, swirl, windowpane
- friendship
- pin stripes
- cable knit cardigans
- sippin
- sunflowers
- thinking of the day, of your home, of your family, of things past, of things to come
- a potbellied-stove kind of day
- stone fireplaces
- dog-walking
- knit ribbing on cuffs
- a wooden apple basket
- jean jackets
- fresh pleasure at being outside
- improving yourself
- wandering into an antique furniture store
- handshaking
- popcorn at the movies
- children absorbed in quiet play
- researching and planning getaway weekends
- butterflies
- special people
- the seven virtues: charity, faith, fortitude, hope, justice, prudence, temperance
- business suits
- great elm trees
- sailing out of the clouds...

The character, Emily, in the classic play Our Town by Thornton Wilder really notices the good things in life as she recalls in her closing monologue: “Let's really look at one another!...It goes so fast. We don't have time to look at one another. I didn't realize. So all that was going on and we never noticed... Wait! One more look. Good-bye , Good-bye world. Good-bye, Grover's Corners....Mama and Papa. Good-bye to clocks ticking....and Mama's sunflowers. And food and coffee. And new ironed dresses and hot baths....and sleeping and waking up. Oh, earth,you are too wonderful for anybody to realize you. Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every,every minute? (Emily)”
― Thornton Wilder, Our Town

You get the picture. Let's take time in this most beautiful of seasons to really stop and take notice of the beauty around us and the people who make our life so meaningful. Happiness comes from noticing and enjoying the little things in life!

Happy Autumn!
Lydia
FL Crooks & Co.

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