Journal 18 - Autumn Day

My perfect autumn day would be about 60 degrees with a slight breeze. Not enough to be chilled, but enough to have some movement and rustling among the leaves. The sound of the rustling leaves moving in the trees before releasing their grasp on the branches and slowly drifting downwards to the ground reminds me of jumping into what seemed like massive piles of leaves that my dad would rake up when I was little. My sister and I would "help" him, but we always would rake a small pile, watch it blow away, then rake the leaves up again. The crunch of the leaves on my feet as I leaped through the air and launched myself at the pile matched the crunch of the leaves under my feet as I would take a walk on a perfect autumn day, giving me a nolgastic feeling of my youth. As the soft breeze tosses my blonde hair in the wind, I would tie it up in a ponytail, only for a couple of strands to break free and enjoy the feeling of the wind tossing them to and fro. As I stroll down the street, taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood to enjoy the weather, I smell several grills being fired up for one of the last times of the year; people trying to get that last cookout or barbecue of the year. Hamburgers, hot dogs, potatoes, oh my! I grow hungry as I turn the corner wondering what I would have for dinner later. As I continue walking I see someone burning leaves, trying to be discreet because my neighborhood is withing city limits and burning leaves is not allowed. The smell of the burnt leaves gives him away. The once pretty, green, red, yellow, and brown leaves shrivel up and the remains catch in the wind blowing around like the scene from Pocahontas when she sings about the colors of the wind. That should be the theme song for autumn, with its variety of colors and the wind blowing the falling leaves each which way that it feels like. I would continue on with my walk hearing the fallen leaves rustle and crumple under my feet. When I would get home I would do my homework near a window so I could watch "the colors of the wind" and the leaves fall ever so delicately from the trees and enjoy that perfect autumn day.