A Colorful World

Nature is beautiful. During the fall, it brings the countryside engaging colors, pleasing smells and breathtaking scenery.

I love how the leaves choose the day that summer fades into fall (despite the actual calendar day). It's the day the leaves change from greens and browns to oranges, reds and yellows, and when the clouds and fog lightly cover the mountain tops. The day when it becomes a little bit tougher to exercise outside, because the cool air makes it harder on your lungs and muscles.

There are times when I'm walking around outside that I kick myself for not having a camera on me. But when I do, there's no doubt I'll take a million pictures, trying to get the perfect shot of the prettiest trees. My favorites are the ones that are completely covered in vibrant, red leaves, and the ones that are partially yellow and red. Trees like these make a two-hour drive to the mountains or a run around the park more appealing.

Fall air has the best smell, too. Especially after it rains, which it has been a lot lately in Atlanta. The smell reminds me of bonfires, camping trips and holidays of the past, and excites me for those to come.

I find myself trying to get outside as much as I can this time of year, despite my wanting to snuggle up by a fire, because I know that soon winter will be here. Although winter brings beauty of its own, the smell will be completely different, and the leaves will be no more. Plus, I can just snuggle up by a fire then -- when it's too cold to play outside. Hopefully this year the south will actually get some snow. Then maybe we can follow up a colorful autumn with a white winter -- instead of a brown, dead one.

Some feel that beauty is hard to find in ordinary places, but I say you just have to know how to look at it, and distinguish it from the rest.

In the words of Grey Livingston, "Beauty comes as much from the mind as from the eye."