Fall

The leaves are starting to fall a plenty. I walk along the paved sidewalks and marvel at the wickerwork patterns of the fallen maple and cider leaves. Till now, I simply hadn't realized how sensuous fall can be. Also known as 'Autumn' in British influenced parts of the world, it hardly ever makes an appearance in India. The transition between golden balmy summer and the white windchillish winter, it is a time when I can see time ticking away right in front of my eyes. Beautiful. The maple which was green last month is now bedecked with splotches of yellow, streaks of red and a thick carpet of mauve fallen leaves. Soon , in a moth more, it will be barren of leaves, standing forlorn in obeisance to the Northern Wind. The flowers are in bloom, the final hello before disappearing forever. The geese are active in the sky, preparing for the long journey to the south, migrating away from here. The squirrels and gophers are grittier fighters, they don't give up so easily. They can be seen running hither and thither, wagging their furry tails and hoarding acorns and walnuts, ferociously digging with their teeny paws the holes in which to deposit the secret cache. Soon, the squirrels will hibernate too. The climate too is marvelous. Like a slot machine out of which god knows what deux-ex-machina may pop up. One day it is 40 F (2 Celsius) with thick curtains of incessant rains, the next it is a crystal clear day with 70 F (30 Celsius), the next you get a tornado with hails the size of small stones followed by three days of warm sun soaking into your back while you laze on the lawn and read the Onion.
If you want to live life fully, the vicissitudes of Fall aren't to be missed.

What is the Forecast?

Coming from India, where there are a meager three seasons: rainy, summer and winter, the climate here is a revelation for me. The weather is a major factor in day-today life. It has a persona of its own, it has moods and whims which have to be respected. The wise one, if he doesn't want to be caught in the ambit of Murphy's laws, always checks the weather forecast before stepping out a thunderstorm is forecast later in the afternoon, then neglect the bright sunlight outside and carry around that jacket. There are hourly forecasts, daily forecasts and weekly forecasts. Always check out the weather for the weekend. If it is sunny and balmy, go for that walk by the Mississippi or that photography expedition, if it is going to be dull and gloomy, rather be indoors and see the Golden Gophers face off against the Michigan Wolverines in the battle for the Little Brown Jug. You get the point?