In praise of autumn

Red, gold and amber leaves ablaze,

Azure blue skies, brilliant displays.

Basking in Old Sun's gilded rays,

Ah Autumn ... you always amaze.

Falling leaves that prances and plays,

Flit about in a polonaise.

A flame-kissed leaf coverlet lays

'Neath near-bare branches of drear grays.

Sunsets that leave me in a daze,

God's heavenly art, He portrays.

Brushstrokes across the world arrays,

October ... a melodic phrase.

Early morn mists begin fall days,

Crisp afternoons ... gourmet buffets.

Cooler nights, pleasantly defrays,

Memories of summer's malaise.

Acorns fall, squirrels scooping up strays,

Pumpkins orange, Indian corn maize.

Mulled cider; apples candied glaze;

Sweet treats and doughnuts wait on trays.

Jack O' Lantern grins glow and blaze,

Costumed children, Halloween craze.

All haunting sights, unnerves and frays,

Getting lost in a cornfield maze.

Wagon hayrides that gently sways,

Lunch enjoyed at outdoor cafes.

Pumpkin flavored ice cream parfaits,

Sunflowers, mums ... nature's bouquets.

Beauty is where ere falls my gaze,

But wish October longer stays.

Of autumn's many splendored ways,

I lift to God my heartfelt praise.

October is filled with so many delights, tastes and aromas. It is truly a season that assuages the senses.

It is a bittersweet time, a melancholy serenade. These lovely halcyon days are fleeting before winter rears his cold, gray, dreary head.

So it's important to make the most of what is left of these precious autumn days.

If you are lucky enough to have children in your lives, spend as much time as you can with them. Nothing brings a lightness of heart than being in the company of young people.

And if one of them asks you to help carve a pumpkin, do it.

Three of my four kids (while Becky is my only birth child, my sister's children are my kids of heart, too) were at my mom's on Sunday. They brought with them each a big pumpkin to carve after dinner. Jennie Rose, 25, her boyfriend, Brandon, Zach, 21 and his girlfriend, Jenna and Abby, 13, went online to help them come up with pumpkin faces.

I just want to say that if you don't have a clue what face to carve on your pumpkin, just go to the Internet. Whatever did we do before the Internet?

Zach and Jenna chose a pirate face. Jennie Rose and Brandon went with a design that involved power tools. Abby picked Mike Wazowski, from "Monster's Inc", and here's the best part, she asked me to help her.

Carving pumpkins outside after the sun goes down, entails drama, comedy, tears and a lot of laughter. Well, in my family it does, anyway. When we were all finished, we held a Pumpkin Lighting Ceremony with lots of "oooohs" and "ahhhhhhs."

It's memory-making moments like these that will help warm up those forthcoming long chilly winter nights.