In Vermont, most of us have mixed feelings about the coming of fall weather. We love the summer and look forward to its warmth and lush foliage. However, summer is short here in the Green Mountain state and days without snow are limited. Seeing it come to an end can be disheartening. One time a visitor asked me what months of the year we have snow on the ground. I watched her count each month out on her fingers as I said, “From November to April we can count on having snow.” She looked at me astounded as she realized that 6 months out of the year our predominate color is white.

As August draws to a close, there is a nip in the air alerting us to the coming of autumn. Yards are full of piles of wood waiting to be stacked before the first snow arrives. The leaves on the trees are beginning to have a hint of color and some trees have even completely unleashed their red and orange hues. The garden beds look shabby as the summer plants begin to fade and leaves begin to turn brown and overlooked weeds abound. And today, the school bus came down the road to bring the neighbor children home.

As I change my mindset from summer to autumn, I look for the last remains of summer’s color and warmth so as to not be disheartened. However, the neighbors keep reminding me that autumn is approaching as they constantly ask, “Have you got your wood in yet?”