Celebrating October
“October is the month of painted leaves.
Their rich glow now flashes round the world.
As fruits and leaves and the day itself
acquire a bright tint just before they fall,
so the year near its setting.
October is its sunset sky;
November the later twilight.”~Henry David Thoreau, Autumnal Tints
You don’t have to look hard to find poems, essays, or quotes in praise of beautiful October. I copied today’s quote in my journal after reading Thoreau’s Autumnal Tints during my first fall semester in college — back in 1972. Today, it’s still my favorite quote for the month.
October inspires moments of reflection as well as fall color tours and trips to the cider mill. As Thoreau notes, it announces the beginning of the end of the year, reminding all of us to take stock of the previous seasons. It’s a harvest of remembering. How are you celebrating the month of October? ~CL
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Cindy La Ferle
Throughout my career, I've worked as a book production editor, travel magazine editor, features writer, and weekly newspaper columnist. My award-winning lifestyles features and essays have appeared in many national magazines and anthologies, including Newsweek, Reader's Digest, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer's Digest, Victoria, Better Homes & Gardens, Bella Grace, and more. My weekly Sunday "Life Lines" column ran for 14 years in The Daily Tribune (Royal Oak, MI) and won a First Place (Local Columns) award from the Michigan Press Association. My essay collection, Writing Home, includes 93 previously published columns and essays focusing on parenthood and family life.
