Yep, this is Fall in Arizona...

Fall is here. If you look closely or drive up north you can find one or two trees with leaves changing colors and falling. I miss that part of the seasons -- when they change. Fall in Arizona simply means that the temperature has dipped to below 90 in the evening hours. You can now go for a walk either early in the morning or evening and not swelter. In fact, you can even open up the house -- and get the some fresh polluted air blowing thru your house. For those of us that plant winter grass (a concept foreign to the non-Arizona peeps), my house quickly fills with the smell of manure that has been sprinkled delicately on my new lawn seed in, what apparently is, an unsuccessful attempt to keep the birds from eating the new seed. I'm looking out back now and just counted 16 birds. In addition, I've counted 2 dogs -- one laying out in the nice Arizona fall day and the other munching on a delicacy in the middle of the yard (I really think it was bird 17, but I can't bare to find out for certain and am left to wonder where Scout is going to be sleeping tonight). What is certain is that neither dog cares the slightest bit about the birds that are on the lawn. These darn dogs are as unphased as the birds are of the manure in the first place. Unsure of the point -- I believe this is awesome!

Why did we go away from calling the season Autumn -- that is a much prettier word. I mean, really, did someone just forget what to call the season and look up just as a leaf fell on his head (undoubtedly a he) and claim the season was "fall" for lack of any real knowledge. Perhaps he even "fell" which would possibly have made the season called "Here's a Fall, there's a fall - everywhere a fall fall?" Lord, I must be sleep deprived. From now on, I'm going back to calling it Autumn...that 'ought to get 'em! (I'm pretty sure I'll be the only one getting that joke.)

Anyway, I must note that I lived in Nebraska for the first of my 5 years of life and also have lived in Wisconsin for close to that amount of time as well. I have never seen a more beautiful season as Autumn. For those of you lucky enough to visit Door County, Wisconsin during this time of year-- you know how amazingly beautiful it is. Door County is full of huge rolling trees that have been there since before dinosaurs fell (ha) -- They are full bright colors -- vibrant -- breathtaking really. It is also football season. The sound of a football game on a cold day is stuff that I dream about. Yet then again, it's almost hard to fully enjoy Autumn in the Midwest, simply because you know winter is around the corner. Surely by now they've already had a snowfall. Guess nowhere is perfect.

Anyway -- for me, it means my semester is halfway over, football is in full swing, Halloween is around the corner, my nephew's birthday is here and I get to buy pumpkins for the sheer purpose of making the most delicious warm, cooked, salted homemade pumpkin seeds ever. They are a true joy of mine since I've mastered the practice. I'm out of school for the day -- and have a couple hours before I get to pick up the boys from school. So, if you don't mind, I'm going to sit here and eat my pumpkin seeds in peace and quiet and enjoy the light manure filled breeze ruminating from my back yard.

Happy Fall Ya'll! A batch just for me!!!