Primal Urges

Autumn comes early here in Wyoming. Sometimes it doesn't last too long, either. We were puttering down around the river yesterday morning and I noticed that some of the cottonwood leaves are starting to turn yellow already.

This year, I think I'm ready for fall. This hasn't been the case for several years (the reasons will almost certainly be explained - extensively- in the not too distant future). But I think I'm tired of the heat, and I'm looking forward to stomping around in the piles of leaves and drinking hot apple cider.

I find it funny that autumn's approach causes such a sense of urgency. I used to think that it might be holdovers from BACK TO SCHOOL times, but now I wonder if it isn't a bit more primal than that. Basically, for all of our supposed evolution, we're still controlled by things as fundamental as the changing of the seasons. Perhaps I'm too sensitive to it, but this time of year always makes me feel like I've got way too much to do and way too little time. I've got to get firewood, I've got to paint the fender on my truck, I've got to dismantle and cover the swamp cooler, I've got to get the snow tires mounted, I've got to do a million other little things to get the house ready for winter...pant, pant, pant.

I've got to gather and store nuts before the snow flies.