Autumn

Apple Hill

Oh, what a relief to have it be autumn. The days are cooler, and I wake up early in the morning to a real chill in the air. The sweaters are calling from the top shelf of the closet, and the flannel sheets will need to be pulled out soon. Several times a day, we have been serenaded by flocks of geese flying to our pond. Their conversation is happily distracting.

To celebrate the approach of autumn, we took a trip to Apple Hill, a region of apple growers just east of here. It's got the usual carnival atmosphere at this time of year, but we looked past it to the bins of Fuji and Golden Delicious varieties, and (for some) the fritters and caramel apples that are available. Even my mother ordered a caramel apple. If asked if she would want one, I would have answered, "Oh, not Mom," but, I am beginning to realize that what I DON'T know about my mother could fill volumes! They are a favorite of hers.

Our musical choice for this morning is, naturally, George Winston's Autumn.



When I hear the opening notes of the first song, Colors/Dance, my mind immediately goes back to a little room at Stanford University. I attended a concert there with a good friend..it must have been in 1982 or 1983. George Winston was unknown to me and, based on the size of the crowd, I was in good company. As we were settling into our seats, a guy came out in jeans and a sort of wrinkled flannel shirt to fiddle with the piano. I noticed he had no shoes on. Thinking it was a piano mover or tuner, or some other sound tech, we kept talking. Suddenly, the opening notes to Colors/Dance began and I realized that this was no piano mover. It was love at first note! Twenty-something years later, this is still my choice of music to welcome the season of changing colors, falling acorns, new school subjects and flannel sheets.