Autumn Is A Time Of Excitement And Celebration

Autumn is the most colorful season of the year. Sometimes the changes from Summer to Autumn are so subtle that you can miss the beauty if you are not paying attention. The leaves on the trees start losing their green color as they are replaced with shades of reds, and yellows, giving an awesome blend of color sometimes looking almost orange. The shades of color can vary from one area to another depending on how much water the trees had during the summer. During the summer the leaves are green because of the presence of chlorophyll. The chlorophyll's green color masks the other colors in the leaves. As Summer comes to an end, the veins or arteries in the leaves that carry the chlorophyll start to close. As they close the chlorophyll no longer can go through the veins and then they lose their green color, exposing the reds and yellows.

While the changes are taking place there is a short period of time, usually a few weeks that the trees completely change in color exposing the bright colors of red and yellow. This is the time of year that many people will travel to areas that are full of trees just for the enjoyment of their beauty that they fill the countryside with. The changing of the leaves along with the cooler air brings a new energy filled with excitement. The leaves start to fall off of the trees during this time. For that reason, the Autumn season is known by the more popular name of Fall. Many people enjoy hiking during this time because it is cooler and the colors in the forest can be so vivid.

The Harvest Moon

Autumn also brings us the fall harvest. Many farmers will harvest many of their crops during the time of the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is a full Moon that appears in late September or early October, closest in time to the Autumn Equinox. During the Harvest Moon there is a longer period of time of light during the evening hours. This allows farmers additional time to work to get in their crops.

Pumpkins and Jack-o-Lanterns

This is also the time of year that we see pumpkins adding color in the fields as far as you can see. They will be harvested late September and October just in time for creating Jack-O-Lanterns for Halloween. Many farms allow you to walk through the fields to harvest your own pumpkin. This makes it very exciting for the pumpkin carving enthusiast and for young children. Going out to pick your own pumpkin adds to the fun of creating your masterpiece. As you search for the perfect pumpkin you are also imagining the shape of the face that you are going to carve. You need to wonder, is it the face that you have pictured that helps you choose the right pumpkin, or is it the pumpkin that helps you choose the face that will be carved into it?

Halloween

The celebration of Halloween has been around for many years, all the way back to the Ancient Celtic times. Over the years it has made it's way to America but wasn't very popular until about the 1920's and 1930's. Since that time it has become more celebrated in local communities with parades, and trick or treating. Halloween is celebrated every year on October 31st. Halloween adds to the excitement of Autumn through the various celebrations and costumes.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the last holiday celebration of the Autumn season, celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. This is a time of family get togethers, and extravagant feasts. The traditional Thanksgiving dinner is different for every family but many times it includes a turkey, or a ham as the main course, and then stuffing, or potato filling, corn, and maybe a few other vegetables. It is common to see cranberry sauce, apple sauce, sweet potatoes, and many deserts. Some of the more common deserts are various pies such as pumpkin pie, apple pie, mince pie, and some families add cakes to the mix of deserts. If your family is anything like mine, there are more deserts than people attending the dinner. Usually there is way too much food to eat at one sitting. From my experience the food last for several days and it is enjoyable until the end.

Hunting Season

One of the last exciting traditions celebrated in the Fall or Autumn season is Deer Hunting. Many areas have hunting season for small game animals during the end of the Summer and early fall but Deer Hunting in some areas starts the Monday following Thanksgiving. Some would say this is the most exciting time of Fall. Hunters get packed and leave for hunting camp right after they celebrate Thanksgiving. Many hunters will schedule vacation months in advance so they don't have to go to work for a few days allowing them to find the perfect spot in the woods to sit and wait for that perfect deer, usually a Buck Deer to come along so they can take the perfect shot. Hunting is controversial among many people but it is a long standing tradition in America and is among many the ultimate excitement of the year.

Enjoy the beauty and the celebrations during this Autumn Season and be safe.