Fall in the Pacific Northwest is the best. I love how the air feels in my lungs and how mountains pop from a clear blue sky on a brisk day. Layers begin to build in the autumn weather cycles, and I sense a certainty in the landscape’s transformation to winter. Fall is fleeting, but glimpses of magic are everywhere.

In Whatcom county fall eases itself into existence.   The warm months of summer begin to loosen their grip in the early mornings. The mornings begin to drift towards the days slowly. The temperatures progress toward crisp and lively and fresh and new. All of a sudden coffee tastes better. The weight of a quilt is a welcome thing of comfort and safety. I put on my fleece pants and finally get to consider the glorious world of base layers, insulating layers, and outer shells. Like any good PNWer I love a layering system. Oh…and flannel. I LOVE flannel.

Summer in our house is crazy. My wife is a passionate educator. She works insanely hard. When summer hits you would think she wanted to take some time to relax. Nope. In her mind there is nothing finer than a calendar full of fun. We go non-stop. With the beginning of the school year our schedule kind of sort of reaches some sort of consistency. By the time the leaves begin to change we have reached a bit slower of a pace. The brilliant reds and warm yellows and oranges soothe my soul. The wind picks up and adds layers of grey and swirling clouds over deep blue. The apples are ready. Cider needs pressing, and some whiskey needs drinkin. Fall is the perfect time to stand around a fire with friends.

I think the subtlety of fall speaks to me the most. The transformation from summer to autumn is gradual. The layers build upon themselves. The rains come and go before they make their winter stand. The mountains and rivers call. The leaves change. The leaves tumble to the ground. The many tones of grey lead us on into the season. It’s beautiful and clean but it has sharp edges that guide us towards the deep winter months.

Today, as I write this, the rain is pouring from the sky on an angle in great sheets of cold drops. It is a good day to be inside with a hot cup of coffee and a good book. I have on my favorite flannel shirt. It feels familiar like a good friend that you haven’t seen in a while. The gloom beyond my window is a perfect backdrop for the many northwest greens that dominate our landscape. Scattered within those greens, the fall colors explode. When this rain stops falling the colors will be stunning.

Today’s heavy rains are crashing the plans that my family had of going on a hike in the North Cascades. That’s ok. If it decides to let up a little we may get out…or not. On this day, it is enough to be at home warm and cozy, contemplating the awesomeness of coffee, colors, and flannel.

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