All of a sudden, it’s September. The end of summer is like that, slipping away before you’re quite sure that you’ve enjoyed every last bit of it. Even though it will still be warm for a while, the mornings are starting to have a certain crisp feel to them, scented with the coming frost.

This summer was magical. I didn’t get to do everything on my summer list, but I think that happens every year. I did some traveling (I love to travel – it’s one of my favorite things). I went to Chicago, Vegas, Rapid City. I am contemplating putting together an Albuquerque trip — I know, it’s the worst place. But my friend lives there, and they do have frozen yogurt, so for those two reasons alone, I would go again.

When I was a kid, we had a neighborhood group. We’d meet every night after dinner and we would play until well after it was dark. Those were a few of the best summers of my life, when we no longer felt like babies but weren’t old enough to try to pretend we were adults. Instead, we played hide-and-seek and roamed around until it was well past our bedtimes.

The other night, I heard the very same sounds coming from the backyard next door. Kids out past dark, giggling and playing. Those are the best sounds of summer, the sounds of people laughing.

I love the beginning of fall. As much as I am loath to admit that winter is coming, which means popsicle feet and more clothes (socks, ew), I love the way fall feels.. It’s the feeling of a new notebook, of neatly organized pencils and a brand new set of sharp crayons.

Fall is energizing.