Posted by Karen Zappavigna Hoogland in Articles & Essays | 0 Comments
Fall is in the Air
By all these lovely tokens September days are here,
With summer’s best of weather And autumn’s best of cheer.
~Helen Hunt Jackson
The season of autumn officially began this morning. Fall is my favorite time of the year. The oppressive heat of summer has passed. The nights are cooler. Some days are rainy; others are brilliantly sunny. The combination of these has always given me a sense of renewal, along with the urge to jump in the car and drive country roads, stopping in small towns along the way.
Over the past few years, my husband and I have had the chance to visit many small towns along country roads. There isĀ a certain feeling of freedom that wraps around me when we take off on one of these adventures.
The photos in this post were from a trip to the Springfield, Illinois area, in October 2010. I recently looked through some of the ones from New Salem, which is where Abraham Lincoln lived for several years in his younger days. It is not a very large community, but it is quite beautiful.
When we were there, I recall thinking what it must have been like to live during that time, when life was both simpler and more difficult.
As we toured New Salem, David and I learned how the folks who resided in New Salem lived their daily lives. From weaving clothe and making tools to working at the mill or attending classes in the one-room schoolhouse, the residents of this tiny town also formed a community.
The distractions of today – cell phones, the Internet, hundreds of TV channels – did not exist. The very things that make our lives simpler, such as microwave ovens, washing machines and automobiles, give us more time to do other things. Still, even with appliances cleaning our homes, we seem to be so short on time to spend with our families and to get to know our neighbors.
Taking a glimpse back through these photos, along with the start of Autumn, has reminded me to take a step back from the hurried world once in a while and enjoy a drive down a country road or a stroll along a winding path in the forest.
There is a lot of beauty in our world that is sometimes hidden behind all of the technology and appliances that help with our daily chores. While I definitely embrace all the gadgets, I know it is also good to take time to crunch some of those fall leaves under my feet.
Perhaps it is time to pack a bag, grab my husband and head off for a new adventure!