HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Happy Halloween

May the merry bells keep ringing

May your Halloween come true...

Witches, black cats, full moons, carved pumpkins, trick- or- treaters, crisp Autumn air, long shadows being cast. It's that time of year.

Leaves on trees, still providing a variety, in fact every variety of color for our viewing. It's like they're showing off their splendor before they drop off and leave us to look at exposed tree trunks and branches.

The burning of freshly fallen dry leaves burning up quickly and completely has a nice aroma to Fall. Soggy wet ones, along with grass clippings, branches, and whatever else was in the yard causes that slow sulphurous gray burn that fizzles, chokes, and ruins Fall days. It forces window and door closures. It causes clothes and hair to have that stench of incomplete combustion that hangs heavy in the air and on the person unfortunate to be near.

Soaped windows and paraffin, toilet paper hanging from trees and wrapped around bushes are another reminder of what's not great about Fall. Raking stubborn leaves that decide to adhere to driveways and shoe soles add to the negative side to the season.

Plus, the worst of all, at least for me was the last hurrah. Winter's on the way. Daylight Saving's Time is over. Darkness comes earlier. Temperatures plummet. Summer tans give way to pasty faces, dry with Winter wind. Lips chap. Along with hands. Feet freeze. Ends of noses, too. And ears.

Fires in fireplaces and wood stoves. Crackling embers, multi-colored flames equalling those displayed by the leaves before they abandoned the trees. Soup! Oh, I love soup. Almost any kind, but I guess my favorite is homemade vegetable beef. It's almost worth getting cold just to warm up to soup.

So sit back now. Before Winter gets its grip into you. Enjoy the scene. Have some apple cider. And if there's anyplace that still make apple cider doughnuts, eat a half dozen for me.