The Leaves Fall for Thee!

This morning, when I woke up, I was cold. Not terribly chilled, but just enough to be aware that the temperate outside was below...say 65º F.

I checked the weather over my coffe...it was 57º F. Pansy. But considering the last three months have been one stream of clothes-are-only-really-necessary-because-of-social-conventions weather punctuated at times by rain, I felt it. The last few weeks I've been sleeping without the A/C unit going, but avoiding and fighting the heat during the day and early evening. This morning I put on a sweater, knowing that a high of 72º would be just enough to fool the school's ventilation system and make things chilly. And so they were, although by lunchtime I was throwing open the windows and letting a gloriously pleasant breeze throw papers all across my classroom.

Fall means several things, really:

• The death of Man's most ferocious and eternal enemy, the mosquito.
• The conclusion of the regular baseball season, which is a mercy for my last-place Rockies, who are really only fighting the Cubs for second-to-last place this year. But exciting for the Washington Nationals and even Baltimore Orioles, so there should be some local excitement. 
• Fall Beers, including the marvelous Sam Adams' Octoberfest and Shock-Top's surprisingly delicious Pumpkin Wheat (and and and oh never mind).
• Sweaters (and other modes of reusing dress shirts that are overdue for the cleaners). 
• Better pipe smoking weather.
• Pretty leaves, eventually.
• And the start of school, of course.

I remember in middle school playing a tune on the piano that involved the lines "the falling leaves / of red and gold." It was a nice, pretty song, and I always think of it when the colors start to change. Last year the change came very late in the season (global warming or something), but already I'm seeing a few hints of red overhanging the brick sidewalks of town. Town is absurdly picturesque in the fall--not Rocky Mountain aspens but very delightful in their own right.

School is now in week three, things have not started as well as I would like, but we've had some good days. The lessons left over from this time last year are rather...minimal and disorganized, if found at all, so there is a lot of prep work still to be done. I'm realizing how blessed I was with some of my classes last year--they were very tolerant of my fly-by-pants-almost-dead teaching that first month and still managed to learn things that the current classes struggle with when I'm organized and prepared. Kudos to you, current 11th grade, for putting up with me. You'll go far in life if you can handle that experience.

Fall does bring with it a peaceful assurance of change, that school actually has started and it is okay now, that the seasons and times of life role on. Each falling leaf sings a little tune, praising the summer for its blessings and rejoicing in the fall to earth. In time new leaves will take their place, new students, new lessons, even new places...but tonight, 50º F and lessons on Egyptian religion.

They did not wear sweaters in Egypt, alas.