WHIMSICAL MORNING. FOREST HAZE. DEW ON NEEDLES OF BABY EVERGREENS. DIFFUSED MORNING SUNLIGHT ALMOST PINK THROUGH THE TREES ON THE HILLSIDE BEYOND. NEED I SAY MORE? GALBY IS A STRAIGHT UP MOTHERFKN’ FAIRYTALE. THE KEEBLER COOKIE HOUSE IS HIDDEN IN THIS FOREST. AN UNRELEASED MUSIC VIDEO OF TAYLOR SWIFT’S “ENCHANTED” WAS PROBABLY FILMED HERE. SUNLIGHT SOFT ON THE BUSHES, CREATING A COLOR I CANT QUITE DESCRIBE EXCEPT TO SAY THAT GREY-GREEN MEETS GOLDEN SPARKLE AND IT’S GENTLE AND SOFT AND INVITING AND NICE. YOU COULD PROBABLY LAY DOWN IN IT, CLOSE YOUR EYES, AND WAKE UP TO HOZIER SERENADING YOU WITH “IN A WEEK.” MIST ON THE MEADOWS. ONE TREE WITH FIERY RED LEAVES MAKING ITS FALL DEBUT. i might finally be willing to accept Autumn. SUMMER IS A FEVER DREAM BUT FALL IS A FAIRYTALE AND THOSE WEEKS IN BETWEEN ARE LIKE THE EXPOSITION TO A FANTASTICAL MOVIE, JUST COLOR AND MUSIC AND WONDER AT WHAT IS POSSIBLE IN THIS MYSTICAL WORLD. TIME IN THE FOREST IS EASY ON THE EYES AND GOOD FOR THE SOUL. THE COOL WEATHER IS A CHANGE OF PACE, BUT LIKE I SAID, I MIGHT FINALLY BE WILLING TO ACCEPT AUTUMN. THE MIST IN MYSTICAL CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT A BIT OF COLD.
I’ve lived in Bellingham for just over a year now. Full circle. Or orbit, I guess. I’ve seen all the seasons here, which means I now know (like, in the Hebrew mindset sense. To know experientially) how hard the winters can be. It’s given me a newfound appreciation for summer. It’s also led, I must admit, to a small sense of dread as August gives way to September and the days start to darken, shorten, and cool.
Like all humans, I sometimes struggle to accept transition. One of my recent instagram captions was, “Can every day please be summer?” I’ve loved this season and not wanted it to change. Why end a good thing? This run through Galby last week reminded me that the cold has something good to offer too. That doesn’t mean I’m excited for summer to end. But it’s one step toward acceptance.
It’s worth saying a third time to solidify that this is true: I might finally be willing to accept the arrival of autumn. Yes, it means we’re nearing winter. But if I can just accept the seasons one at a time, being fully present in fall, without thinking too far ahead toward winter I might just enjoy it in its own right.
The More the Marianer 