Cathy Horn —

Happy New Year

Summer winds down

As students, teachers and families gear up

For a brand-new school year

Ripe with the promise of everything new

New clothes and shoes

New teachers and classmates

New school supplies

And, of course, new backpacks to carry them all in

Making new friends while keeping the former ones

First day jitters

Soon turn into

Learning

Discovering

Playing

Changing

Growing

Together

Happy. New. Year!

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Linda R. Hortick © August 18, 2023

Coming of Autumn, I can feel the light outside change and cooler breezes touching my cheeks.  The summer was not long enough and sunny enough.

 Summer is slipping through my fingers even though I cup my hands to catch the last moments of feeling carefree.  Fall will arrive dropping massive amounts of leaves in technicolor to delight us all.  Photos are taken, leaves are raked and are piled up in bags.  The minute the leaves are bagged, more leaves fall from the treetops.  A thankless task of robotic work is done until the very last leaves are raked up and taken away.

Once Fall is in the door, I regretfully put away my summer clothes and take out my warm sweaters and slacks.  Surprising myself, I like the change of colors and textures.  A new wardrobe is ready to be worn!

There are comfort foods to make in all the magazines.  Delicious soups to warm the heart can be enjoyed again.  On cooler days I can light the fireplace and enjoy the mesmerizing flames. I get out my favorite throw with the white fringe.

The nip of chill feels good.  Was I asleep during the summer?

All of a sudden, I am alert again.  I feel I have to accomplish something! Anything! My mind is saying, “End of the year will be here soon, begin now!” My list is long, where to begin?  Goodbye Summer, hello Fall. Thanks for waking me up!

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Doris Mady – When I lived in California, everyone asked if I came from NY. I did.  As a New Yorker I was used to tight schedules and the feeling you would just die if you missed a press run. I never worked anywhere that “it was okay” to leave in the afternoon because “the waves were great for surfing” or “there was a big dump of snow at Tahoe”.

Finally, I figured why this mentality existed in LA:  January 1 has basically the same weather as April 5^th. Since there was no major change of seasons, it wasn’t important to plan ahead. If it doesn’t get done today…maybe I’ll do it tomorrow. Not me at all!

I love Fall. There is a reason why it was “invented”.  The falling leaves Mother Nature provides lets me know that time is moving on. Leaves are dying. I’m getting older…have I done what I wanted with this year? If not, there’s still time to do it before the frost of February stops me in my tracks.

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