They say in Florida there are no seasons. I disagree.

One way we know it is autumn in Florida is that certain trees lose their leaves. It isn't like up north where the leaves turn a pretty color and then drop like little fiery fairies to the ground. No. It's more like .... well... they were green and now they are brown and ooops. They all fell off.

We also know it's autumn when the temperature in late September doesn't reach above 90 degrees in mid afternoon. Sometimes that doesn't happen until mid October. You get this feel in the air on September mornings, and a bit of a breeze that says, "Guess what? A reprieve is on the way!"

I do love autumn in Florida. We have a fire pot sort of thing outside that we use to build fires when the weather gets cooler. Some folks here have indoor fireplaces. Generally they run the air conditioner in order to have a fire going, but sometimes in autumn it might get cold enough to burn inside. Usually that is the end of autumn.

Another way we know that autumn has come upon us is that people start decorating their lawns for Halloween. Not a red leaf in sight, but plenty of dead corpses, and ghosts hanging from trees, and tombstones where they shouldn't be.

I really am making fun of a Florida autumn. The changes are so subtle, but if you are a Floridian you can make them out.

The other morning I got up early and saw Orian rising in the east. Tonight I saw a harvest moon. Soon northern birds will be visiting our area, taking a sip out of our pond.

My husband just planted his winter vegitable garden which in northern climes would be the spring planting.

Our summer sun withers almost anything you could imagine planting to eat. We can plant a few things. Okra--- ewwwww, yuck, petuie. Hot peppers--- yum. Eggplant--- oh yeah. For the most part he just lets the ground go fallow during summer.

But Autumn comes around and it is time for cucumbers, green peppers, green beans, awesome tomatoes, and my oh so loved herbs like basil, and oregano. Collard greens and mustard greens are beloved by me.

Autumn is the time I start thing about the end of the year. I start wondering what I could have done differently, and if I could have should I have. It is a time for reflecting. It doesn't matter where you are, the end of the year is coming up, and you have to just .... well ..... wonder.

Tonight my daughter called me and said, "Mom! Go look at the moon! It is so full and big and pretty!" Funny. I used to tell HER to go look at the moon!

Harvest moon. Autumn is here.