Autumn 3

Autumn is my favorite season because of the colorful display of fall foliage and the autumn festivities all around. Autumn, also known as fall, is a season of change. This is the time of year when outdoor temperatures begin to drop, days become shorter, nights become longer, but, somehow, we seem to find more time to spend with our family and friends. Wonderful childhood memories come flooding back to me of scenic trips through the mountains, carving pumpkins, and many fall festivities I was blessed to share with my loved ones.

Fall foliage season is the most colorful time in North Georgia, when swathes of autumn gold blanket the mountains and valleys and brilliant fall colors light up the landscape. Autumn stirred us with an irresistible urge to get in the car and go looking for fall color. During the few months of Fall, my family would take a leisurely drive each Sunday afternoon winding through the Appalachian Mountains to see the beautiful array of different- colored foliage including vibrant reds, golden-yellows, and bright orange touching an impossibly blue sky. The leaves would change colors and become the most splendid right before falling off of the trees.

One of my fondest childhood memories was when my family and friends went camping at Mr. Nix’s campground. I would so get excited anticipating the fun times to be had, including hay rides. Mr. Nix would hook up the old wooden trailer to his farm tractor, fill the trailer with hay bales for us to sit on and take all of the kids on hay rides for what seemed to be endless hours of fun bouncing down the winding back roads. It was really nice to feel the crisp, fresh air against our freezing faces. When we would return, we would gather around the warm crackling campfire, roast marshmallows, reminisce about the hay ride we had just taken, and sip a cup of hot chocolate. The warm drink just felt so good going down that it warmed our chilled bodies. What a perfect way to warm up on a cold autumn