October Showers

Scattershooting on a cool, spitting October afternoon. It's one of those afternoons when there is water falling from the sky but it's not thick enough to be rain or thin enough to be fog. You know... it's just... spitting.

What are your favorite October memories? What has made this month stand out in years past? What do you love about October?

When I think of October, I think of days like today: cool to mild, semi-dreary, yet refreshing. I think of the changing of the seasons, of cool fronts and warm spells. Of thunderstorms and falling leaves. Of confused wardrobes because one day it's 65 and the next 90.

I think of pumpkins and colorful leaves. Halloween decorations in the stores and the whisper of Christmas spirit in the air. Oh yeah. I can hear it. Can you?

When I think of October I think of the State Fair, the Red River Shootout at the Cotton Bowl, and high school football. For several years I spent Friday nights in October in high school football stadiums and getting lost and found in small towns. Some nights were really muggy. Others were downright crisp. It was a great way to make 30-45 bucks for one night of work in October.

October is one of those transition months (though I guess you could say every month is a transition month!) in which I feel like this world is on its way to somewhere but isn't there just yet. We're between summer and the holidays, kind of like driving between Dallas and San Antonio. I guess you could say that October is Austin.

I like October but November is my goal. I can justify breaking out the Christmas festivities in November. Right now? My coworkers give me funny looks. I told them I was just celebrating Jesus but they didn't buy it. Seems that Christmas music doesn't belong in September or October. So I'm on my way to November...

October is here now. Time for pumpkins and hay bales, falling leaves and warm teas.

It's a good month.