The morning air was warm when I left home. It’s a funny feeling on the face – when the sun is barely over the horizon and yet you feel it’s flame, when the warm sticky air washes over your face so early. It makes me hunger even more the late autumn.

Ah by far that’s my favorite time of the year! When you rise early, the frosty air nips at your nose and ears and makes your eyes water just a little. The sun rises late and the shadows are long in the morning.

You can feel the change all around you. The trees aren’t growing anymore and the wind rustles up dried leaves. Where songbirds were once heard, now only the cry of a hawk circling far above.

Later today, you’re bound to see old fat groundhogs warming themselves and getting one last meal before their months-long nap. Squirrels have been eating acorns for a while now, so they too are fat. You will also see them putting the finishing touches on their nests before the snows arrive.

The dogs and horses are growing their long winter coats, but you can’t do that. So it’s time for a flannel and a worn out Carhartt jacket.

Crouching down by the fire pit not far from the house, you can warm your hands with a piping hot cup of tea. Boiling some water was the first order of business after you got the fire going. Now that’s taken care of, and next you have the sausages sizzling, and the eggs and potatoes frying.

The food will be ready soon and you’ll have the first plate ready for your wife, she always loves these mornings too. When the kids come out, they can make their own food – they love playing with the fire.

The long winter is coming, and it will be beautiful.