i woke up this morning and the first thing i thought was, “it’s friday, right?” then i tossed the covers aside and thought, "it's autumn!" which made me that much more excited today. this is the beginning of a time of year that gets about 90% love from me, but with that lingering 10%...animosity, dread, resentment: for having to get out of a warm snuggly bed, get naked in the cold cold bathroom, and get into a warm snuggly shower, just to get out again and get goosebumps and shivers. i don't really fully warm up again until i'm sitting at my desk at work with a hot cup of tea. but i'm willing to put that aside for my beloved season.

i keep hearing people complaining about the briskness that has fallen over our city, and the impending frosts and chills that strike fear into the hearts of many, but i'm not scared. autumn is my favorite season, though short in chicago. i love the sunny crisp days, walking a little bit faster to warm the blood up, drinking more coffee and tea than usual. it is pumpkins and cinnamon, spicy red wines and roasted chickens, apples and soups and hot cider and everything braised. it is scarves and light jackets, when it's still not too cold to wear flats without socks, browns and oranges everywhere. i love the foods and the fashions and the colors and the smells of autumn and i, for one, an thrilled that it's finally here, and look forward to the frost it always brings. summer was one month too long for me this year.

i hate chicago summers. the throngs of people, the heat, the stinky sweatiness that you can't get away from. too many festivals and fairs and events with too many people packed into too spaces too small. but in autumn, people are calming down, getting ready for wintertime, before the contagious holiday spirit overtakes the people, the streets, and the stores, before the first big snow. i honestly think people are generally happier when we're transitioning between our two big seasons here. and i love chicago more in the fall, as we're quickly moving towards our windy snowy winter months. there's a quiet soft buzz about, the calm before the storm of winter in chicago. everything is more beautiful right now.

it's autumn!