Fall in Greene Co.
by Alan King

The big soft maple tree across the street from the Armory in Xenia has finally started to put on its annual display. As usual, that big showoff was one of the first in town to burst into a frenzy of yellow and orange. I just went for a bike ride with my 94 year old Dad the other day, or rather a trike ride in his case. We cruised down the bike path past Shawnee Park and that saucy tree caught my eye one more time. I'm a sucker for that big show, but I also know that she will be long past her prime while the more sedate trees in town linger through the rest of the fall and into Indian Summer. I suppose there's a metaphor about life or women or something to be found here, but I'll leave you to find it.

It seems that we got our Indian Summer this year right on time for a change. The days dipped into the 30's for a week or so last month and we started putting down the windows at night and finally, after shivering through a night of two, I turned on the furnace. I looked forlornly at my shorts as I passed over them in the chest in favor of the jeans. I pulled out my favorite flannel shirt for a few evenings, and suddenly we're in the part of the year where we see the best colors the earth has to give on our way to the gray and brown days of Ohio winter.

I saw a dark wooly worm this morning. I think in wooly worn lingo, that means there will be a long, cold winter this year. I've been watching them for years and they usually look dark-light-dark and I always say (with great authority), "cold fall, mild winter, cold spring", and it sometimes comes out something like that, so I think you'll agree that I'm a wooly worm expert. So this morning's specimen, which was pretty much dark all over if I saw it right as I dodged it at 10 mph on my bike, surely foreshadows a long, cold winter. Another reason that I'm enjoying this mild fall weather so very much.

Fall in Ohio is my favorite season. First of all, I have my birthday in October as do my brother Nelson and half a dozen of my other more fortunate friends. This means I get at least one homemade black raspberry pie (my favorite). And my family always goes to a rustic cabin at Lake Hope for a glorious fall weekend of fireplace therapy and long hikes. More importantly, I always seem to get a second wind in the fall. All of those small projects that I didn't get around to all summer because it was too hot, and those that I know that I don't want to be stuck with in the winter get done now. I think I appreciate the beautiful days more, since they aren't crowded up against each other like they are in the summer.

So my recommendation to you is this: make the most of these last few weeks of green and gold. Take a walk, put up the storm windows, put the mower away, admire the leaves, enjoy the clear skies and the crisp fall air. The next time you can go outside without long sleeves may not be until April or May.

© 2003 Alan D. King

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