Happy Autumnal Equinox!

Autumn has arrived on a brisk wind which is making the starlit trees rustle and whisper. All scent of the recent rain has vanished, leaving the mild air vibrant with the woody fragrance of dry pine. I have a loaf of sweet, chewy-crusted French bread,some unsalted butter, and a cup of spicy orange herbal tea. It is a good beginning for the new season. Although the weather is about to turn hot again, I know it is only temporary. Each day's shadows will extend farther north, each night will grow longer, and the sun's power over the land will diminish. Soon, the streets will be dressed in red and gold brocade fashioned of fallen leaves, and the fading evenings will resound with the calls of waterfowl returning to the valley wetlands, or to their wintering places farther south. Then, there will be persimmons! All the autumnal delights lie ahead, as sweet and spicy as the aroma rising from my teacup.