AUTUMN IS FOR LOVERS OF THE OUTDOORS
Summer is nearing its end. I will be glad to see it go. My calendar says that autumn arrives on September 23rd. The bright, brisk days of autumn stir us to get into the great outdoors. The other three seasons are good, and we enjoy them, but autumn is special. It is a time that lingers in your heart and mind. Cooler temperatures refresh the body and soul. The landscape begins to change colors. Sunrises through trees are glorious. Sunsets are coppery. Something deep within us yearns to be outdoors soaking in its many wonders.
Some people are attracted to the water of autumn. As we sit in our boats fishing for crappie, migrating geese fly across the skies in wide V’s. They belt out calls of reassurance to one another. Their chorus of honks fills the air softly, then loudly, then fades away. A new group of geese takes up the call and passes too.
We are out crappie fishing to catch fish and escape the craziness of our daily lives. Away from the TV and computers. Away from meetings and traffic jams. With the water some degrees cooler, crappie also takes on new vigor. They know it is time to put on a layer of winter fat and respond aggressively to our offerings.
As we enter a cove, we might see the flush of a wood duck, the splash of a beaver’s tail, otters scurrying along the bank, deer at the water’s edge, or a majestic eagle high in a tree.
The sounds of autumn are distinct too. Crickets sing their song of summer ending. Crisp dead leaves begin to cover the ground and swish and crunch underfoot. Squirrels raise a leafy rattle as they scurry for acorns to bury. I feel sorry for folks who don’t experience all that we do.
I have great respect for the Native American Indians and how they lived before the white man came and took their land and their way of life. Their wisdom and love for nature should be an inspiration to us all. One of my favorite nature quotes is from Sioux Chief Chased by Bears.
He said, “When a man does a piece of work which is admired by all, we say that it is wonderful; but when we see the changes of day and night, the sun, the moon, and the stars in the sky, and the changing seasons upon the earth, anyone must realize that it is the work of someone more powerful than man.”
I agree with his powerful words of wisdom. We all have the freedom to believe what we want. I believe God created the outdoors for us to enjoy, take care of it, and appreciate. We should also share the outdoors with others so they can discover what we already know. What they will find out is, autumn is for lovers of the great outdoors.
