Growing up in the midwest, summer felt limitless. The sun didn’t set until after 9 o’clock. There were just as many hours to play with the neighborhood kids after supper as there were before. School ended just before Memorial Day and didn’t begin again until after Labor Day – a full thirteen weeks of summer break. Glorious!

Then the days got shorter and the air began to cool. We sensed summer coming to an end. A new school year was just ahead with autumn right on its heels, bringing the excitement of new teachers and classrooms, old and new friends, and the exhilaration of crisp fall winds blowing puffy white clouds across the cornflower blue of a midwestern sky. Crunchy brown, yellow, and red leaves littered the sidewalks, and children threw on sweaters and hoodies to skateboard and bike home from school. The smell of decomposing leaves and damp earth, the chilly air, and the scent of burning logs from a bonfire kindled memories of seasons changing in years gone by. Continue reading →