Fall is

My mom asked what Chicago looks like in the fall, and here are some pictures. The leaves have finally begun to change. It's nothing compared to what we used to enjoy in Virginia, but sometimes you have to take what you get. Spring is pretty magnificent here (and winter is, well, bold), so I can take a less-than-inspiring fall -- though it is Wes's favorite season for any number of reasons. Fall reminds me of falling in love. Wes and I had our first date on a September evening in North Carolina, so the beginning of our relationship was in the fall. It makes me think of trips to his parents' house in the mountains. Of jogging on a side road with Lucy, listening to the sounds of the leaves crunching. Of layering up for the evening, when the temperature dropped just enough to make you want to snuggle. Of a campfire we had that very first weekend at his folks' place. Of riding horseback through the surrouding woods. Of watching at a million stars at night, not a single one obscured bynearby lights.