From my other journal, dated September 28, 2002

It's so beautiful outside right now. The last two days have brought some steady rains (both day and night), and while it isn't on time to save the crops this year it has made a little difference. For the first time in months the grass in our yard is turning green again.

The leaves, which have been falling since the second week of August, even before they changed colors, are now a miracle of gold, red and brown. It's cool and the wind is blowing, but not too hard. It feels so glorious in my hair and on my face. On days like this I wish my yard had a privacy fence so I could go out skyclad.

I loathe, hate and despise summer, and the bugs, heat and teeny clothes that come with it. As always, autumn takes that loathing away and brings a wonderful peace and comfort. I feel completely centered, comfortable and myself at this time of year. More so than any other.

There's a definite shift in the energy between summer and autumn, one that I have always felt. It's the most spiritual time of the year, the last great surge before the world sleeps.

It's like coming home. I awaken and feel completely at peace. In the late spring I'll feel as if I'm slowly dozing off again, putting up my defenses against the coming of what is in my part of the world a very brutal season.

But for now there is only joy.