"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." -F. Scott Fitzgerald
When you are a Californian, there really is no need to check the weather app. Simply said, California seems to only have one season all-year long: sunny weather with the occasional rainy days (that are much needed due to our droughts). No wonder why we sign petitions to have school canceled with the drastic wild fires whereas in the Midwest, it seems to fluctuate as if it's a stock market. The gloomy days in Madison can be a tie-breaker between a heavy rain or a misjudgment in wearing ripped jeans and a thin sweater. Luckily, the wind isn't quite as bad as the Santa Ana winds. When I am not in scrubs for work, my wardrobe of t-shirts and shorts quickly transformed into one full of Columbia jackets and fuzzy socks as I head out to my morning class in the "oh-so-casual" thirty degree weather. Each of my experiences throughout this fall season seems to be a piece to an intricate puzzle set that I am working on. My desire to acquire this finished product will be the result of my appreciation for the season of fall in Madison, Wisconsin.
Every morning, I have to resist the urge to pull out my phone to take a picture of the intermixing hues of brown, orange, yellow, and red that scatter across the Lakeshore Pathway of University Bay. For a brief moment, I am transfixed by my surroundings: leaves falling to the ground, early birds going for their morning run, the distant sounds of rowers paddling away. It is only when the breeze of the crisp wind forces me to zip up my jacket, that I am brought back to my own senses and realize that I have class in ten minutes. Despite the fact that winter is just around the corner, Mother Nature continues to paint the beauty on the fall foliage, leaving behind a spark of allure and fascination for me to marvel at.
In my never-ending list of IOUs, car rides will always be at the top of the list. It is rather appropriate of me to mention just some of the many individuals who have been notably mentioned throughout my list. My IOUs go out to the following: to Karisa who manages to arrive at Disneyland on time for our dinner reservation despite the three hour traffic, to Sophie and Samee who became my Uber drivers for much of the school year for our sushi dates, to Ofir and Surya who always came by my place for spontaneous adventures, to Madeleine for being my concert buddy, and to Ritesh for having the best car in all of Oak Park. Not having a driver's license throughout high school definitely had its disadvantages but occupying my friends' passenger seat meant creating playlists for the endless car rides I would embark on. It became a pastime activity of mine to compile songs and make playlists. While "skrrt skrrt" will always be infamous to my friends and I, I set forth to create a fall playlist. Filled with timeless classics and tracks featured by some of my all-time favorite artists, this playlist evokes the vibrant colors and emotions that reminisces about this season. With Khalid's "Saturday Nights" on a timeless repeat, it feels like I am taking a brisk walk through the forest, witnessing the last days that leaves have within them as they fall from the tree.
With wheelbarrows filled to the top with pumpkins, Pearce's Farm Stand is the place to be. Located in the small town of Walworth, families come here to let their children play around the haystacks while giving the adults an opportunity to pick out pumpkins and shop for homemade apple cider donuts. I must admit that I felt like a child again as my friend and I jumped from haystack to haystack while munching on the delectable donuts. Not having been to a pumpkin patch since my kindergarten days, it is the outburst of nostalgic feelings that I recollect and miss so dearly. The waft of cinnamon and nutmeg of my apple cider leave a trail behind me as I stand in awe of the mountains of pumpkins that are ever-so-carefully placed in the wheelbarrows. The pictures I take become a keepsake of the new memories that were created and that is when I realize that my acquired pictures become the pieces to my puzzle set. It will only be a short amount of time for me to embrace the many beautifying aspects of fall before the onset of winter but for now, let the opportunity arise in continuation of completing my puzzle set.
Since this blog has been published, we received heart-warming messages from family and friends and that kind of loving support means so much to us. All of you continue to inspire both of us to continue writing and sharing stories so thank you for giving us this rewarding opportunity. I am beyond grateful to share this experience with my closest friend and it brings us both excitement for what lies ahead.
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