Fall reminds us that the natural world is made up of cycles. Summer has done its deed, and winter approaches.
Around here, the transition is dramatic in some places, muted in others. Leaves become like flowers. Their summer green dissolves, revealing the hidden golds and reds. The wind picks up a bit, adding a bite, a tease, a warning. Some plants simply brown and die. The beaches, however, remain steadfast. The sea controls that land. Waves and tides are in charge.
For people, life swings. It’s back to school, to business, to the things we must do.
But summer wasn’t all about play. We worked. We had deadlines, commitments, bills, and challenges. So, it goes to follow that fall, along with its wet friend, winter, should involve some play.
One Saturday, I met this family with two young kids at one of the farm stands. The boys were in a wagon along with some pumpkins. One boy was mostly interested in his ice cream cone. The parents? They told me they were on the island just to enjoy an easy day—no hurrying, no schedule, just an easy day seeing what simple surprises they might find.
While the idea of simple surprises can pretty much describe us at any time, fall seems especially suited. Crowds have thinned, restaurants slow a bit, and time is a bit less…challenging.
But, there’s still plenty of events, a calendar that is crowded with music, theater, fall festivals, and outdoor activities.
There’s a festival for gypsy jazz, a haunted fort, places to pick out pumpkins, scarecrows taking over Coupeville, kites to fly, and of course, beaches and trails to walk.
So, as you pack up your summer memories and sun-screened mellow attitude, leave room for a few fall memories as well. There are still chances to slip out of the cubicle, family memories to be made, and islands to explore.
