CCA fall fun

As I mentioned in my previous post on autumn in the Smokies, this past Sunday, I spent the afternoon/evening in Cades Cove with my best friends. It was a blast!

We ate a picnic lunch (well, everyone else had a picnic--I had to join in later because of my work schedule), played games, made s'mores, played with lighter fluid (our poor fire was dying by the time we were ready to roast the marshmallows), and went on a hayride.

I treasured the time to enjoy the beauty of the mountains and the beauty of friendship with the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for.

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival.
- C. S. Lewis

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
- Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Autumn splendor of the Smokies

Each season has a beauty all its own, and the glorious colors of autumn are truly a sight to behold. This Sunday, I went to the Smoky Mountains with my best friends and we enjoyed spending time together with the beauty of autumn in the Smokies serving as a glorious backdrop. The colors haven't peaked yet, but they were beautiful nonetheless. You can just see some of the colors beginning to turn.

In my opinion, you haven't really experienced autumn until you've seen its transformation first hand in the Smokies. Doesn't it just make you want to stand in awe of God's breathtaking creation?

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice.
- Psalm 97:1

O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you....The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.
- Psalm 89:8, 11

Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
- Psalm 90:1-2

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
- Romans 1:20

P.S. I couldn't actually take any close-ups through the Cades Cove loop like I wanted to because I was on a hayride. I had to grab whatever pictures I could as we were driving by!

Happy Autumn!

Photo courtesy of Ferran., Flickr.com

Fall is in the air! :)

It is finally here--in my mind at least. Despite the fact that the autumnal equinox is always on either September 22 or 23, it never really seems to be fall in my mind until October. Maybe because that's when it usually starts to look or feel a little bit like fall in East Tennessee. Sure, fall actually begins in September. But to me, September has always seemed to be a transitional month. Not really summer, yet not really fall. Maybe I hold that view because I've spent most of my life in school. September is always the month of getting settled into one's new school routine, adjusting to new changes, etc. But by October, things have kind of settled down (usually). Thus, my mind switches over to fall.

So I was delighted yesterday to discover that the first day it really *felt* like fall here in East Tennessee was October 1. How perfect! I mentally shift over to fall in October, and this year the weather actually shifted with me (at least for a few days). So let the fall fun begin!

Fall has many fun, lovable characteristics: crisp temperatures, beautiful fall foliage, apple cider, pumpkin spice frappuccinos, Starbucks caramel apple spice (the stuff is heavenly), corn mazes, bonfires, cozy fires burning in the fireplace, football games, and just the promise and living example of harvest.

To celebrate fall, I made some pumpkin bread Tuesday night that I munched on and shared at church last night and I plan to enjoy a Starbucks pumpkin spice frappuccino later today (Mmmm! Can't wait!). I also intend to stop by Yankee Candle today and pick up some fall-scented votives to put in my autumn candleholders, which I hope to pull out next week. My goal is to clean my room this weekend, and help clean the house in general, so that I can pull out the fall decor next week. :)

As a season, fall has really started growing on me in the past few years. Spring has always been my favorite season for a number of reasons. (Well, favorite actual season. Christmas is by far my absolute favorite season. But that's another--forthcoming--blog post.) Namely, I love to see all the flowers and trees in bloom, warmer temperatures (ironic that one of the things I love about fall is the cooler temperatures!), my birthday, wrapping up another school year (you better believe this coming spring will be huge in this regard as I graduate!!), looking ahead to summer, and honestly, just the new beginnings and new life everywhere.

However, I can honestly say that fall and spring are close to being tied as my favorite seasons. Spring will always hold a special place in my heart, but fall is quickly becoming a treasure as well. Happy autumn! :)

There is a harmony
In autumn, and a lustre in its sky,
Which through the summer is not heard or seen,
As if it could not be, as if it had not been!
--Percy Bysshe Shelley

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf's a flower.
--Albert Camus