Forgive me while I express some exhiliration. I will resume posts of a “spiritual” nature soon, but I must share with you what I am feeling right now. It is coming up on my favorite time of the year, fall. Now those of you who live in more northern climes than do I will probably be thinking, “Don’t you mean ‘autumn’?” You are probably thinking about rolling countryside carpeted in a vivid display of colors that no artist could hope to match. Maybe you are thinking about bonfires and hot chocolate or mulled apple cider as the changing seasons bring a hint of chill to the air.
The fact is, all of that is great. I used to live up north, so I have had the opportunity to enjoy all of that. That is, indeed, a true “autumn”.
Things are different in South Georgia.
We have very little fall color and the leaves don’t even fall off the trees here until late November and December. Hey, it doesn’t even get cold here until January when we have a three-day cold-snap and then it warms back up. We had three inches of snowfall a few years back and it paralyzed the whole area. It doesn’t pay to get out and drive in the snow here. If you don’t know how to drive in the snow, you wind up in the ditch. If you do know how to drive in the snow, people begin to suspect you may really be a Yankee and that can lead to misunderstandings.
But I digress.
Fall is my favorite time of the year.
“Why?” you may ask.
Two words: hunting and football.
Yessirree, in just a few weeks it will be time to take to the woods in search of fresh meat. Getting out with the boys while trying to avoid redbugs, mosquitoes, yellowjackets and rattlesnakes. It seems like everytime we go hunting, it turns into a big adventure of some kind. Sometime I’ll have to tell you about the Great Yellowjacket Caper or the Squirrel Who Wouldn’t Die.
And then there is football.
I dearly love college football. I am proud to be a fan of the Florida State University Seminoles. Believe me, there is no feeling in the world like being among 82,000 of your best friends in Doak Campbell Stadium, on a Saturday afternoon that is still 95 degrees well into October, watching those teams from up north fold like a cheap suit in the middle of the second quarter.
I even enjoy watching games involving teams I care nothing about. The NFL is okay when there aren’t any college games on, but give me the old school spirit anytime. Kickoff is just around the corner. I am making plans for the optimal viewing experience for several games (you need plenty of iced tea and snacks).
My wife is starting to get that resigned look on her face that she always gets this time of year. She knows that our house and conversations are going to be filled with elements of pigskin and junkfood and that the remote control will be stuck on ESPN. I, on the other hand, am going around with a silly grin on my face that just keeps getting bigger and bigger.
I am a happy man.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.
Heavenly Heartburn 
Fall is a good time of year 🙂
I knew there was a reason that i like ya, your a Seminoles fan 🙂
happy hunting!
My hubby doesn’t hunt, but the football…
He LOVES college football, and the local high school/jr high school football. Now this year he is coaching Little League football. Soooo, there will be Tuesday night local Jr High games and the local Friday night High School games (our son is playing up so he is playing for both teams) and the Little League Monday and Thursday night practices and the Little League Saturday games that only leaves Wednseday night and Sunday free, and that’s because we live in a town of 700 with around 10 churches. Oh yes this schedule doesn’t include the college football that will be taped and then watched in between games and practices. Tell your wife I feel her pain and more!
I love college ball as well. However, my son went to Penn State, so I go cheer the Nittany Lions on with the alumni in the Sarasota area. However, there has not been much to cheer about the last few years.
I feel a bit guilty not being a rabid fan of a Florida team, but hey, what about you? You’re not a Bulldogs fan? I have dear friends who are grads of FSU. One does not call them, or stop by when a game is on. We know better.
There was a wonderful article about Bobby Bowdin in the St. Pete Times a week or so ago. I’ll research it and send it to you.
Thanks, Janice.
Kelly, you talk about all that football as if it were a bad thing. 🙂
Beverly, I do cheer for the Dawgs, but I live only 45 minutes from Tallahassee, so I have kind of gone with the ones close to home. Bobby Bowden is a fine man and a good Christian.
Speaking of Penn State, that Orange Bowl between them and FSU was one for the ages wasn’t it?
Yes, indeed, I went home from the party at the beginning of the third quarter because it was already late, and Ihad to be up early the next morning. When I got home, the fourth quarter was starting, so I watched and watched and watched….z-z-z-z
Do you get to any of the FSU games? Is it hard to get a ticket?When David was at Penn State, I esperately wanted to be there for a game, but I never did make it. I have seen them play in some of the Bowl Games, but I didn’t make it to Miami.
I have a member of my church who is so kind as to give my wife and I season tickets every year. We really enjoy the fellowship with them as well as the games.
As far as getting tickets, it depends on which game you are looking at. Anytime Miami or Florida is in town, you just about have to find tickets in the classified ads. They sell out very quickly.
It’s a little easier to get into some of the other games.
What a great gift! I like friends like that.
Fall is by far my favorite season of the year. But not because of the football. I am not a huge football guy.
I am not a hunter, either. But that is only because I simply have never done it. If I were asked to go out with a buddy, I would certainly go and get me some serious bambi!
No…Fall is my favorite season for all of the reasons you mentioned earlier in your post. But also because it begins the emotional stirring brought about by the holiday season. I get the wibbly-wobbly’s in my stomach as Fall progresses on and on.
Happy Hunting, Gordon.
Danny, I enjoy the holidays as well. They have an effect on my stomach, also.
Great post! I love the fall to, for some of the same reasons. In order to atone for my last sarcastic comment, I have written a haiku in your honor:
football season starts
soon leaves will fall to the ground
air will soon be crisp
Your brother is quite the poet…wish I had the gift.
Fall – YES!!! Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!! Bring on the cool nights, bring on hunting season. I need to get a buck with Dad’s gun before he passes on. Shoot, I’ll even put up with football as long as I’ve got something to sew while watching.
Hey Gordon,
thanks, I like my dogs, even better then cats, but don’t tell anybody 🙂
No not a bad thing, just an exhausting thing!
Cameron, that was poetry I can relate to.
Beverly, he surprises the rest of the family sometimes.
Ros, hope you get that buck!
Jel, I love cats too, they taste like chicken.
Kelly, I know what you mean. After about two weeks of the schedule you described, life smells like a lockerroom doesn’t it?
I’ve hear that but not been that hungry to try! 😦
I love the fall as well, not necessarily for the same reasons….:) you must have seen the ESPN commercial singing “its the most wonderful time of the year” too funny!
I have a daughter who graduated from FL State and we try to be good Seminole parents..but we did grow up in ALABAMA!! nuff said..
ESPN got that from me. LOL
At least God got you to Georgia.
i think this post is certainly of a spiritual nature….amen! fall is a great season!
Hey Gordon , did your Wife enjoy her Bday!
Kitty, glad you feel that way, too.
Janice, she did indeed, thanks for asking.
This has been such a fun post…it has taken my mind off the burden I’m carrying right now.
I looked up Kitty’s blog and found out that she is with the same mission that I worked with many years ago.
Glad you are enjoying, Beverly, I am too.
I guess it’s a pretty small world isn’t it?
Two words, indeed! Football and hunting!
Gordon, you are clearly “my brother from another mother”….maybe twins!
Tony, LOL, the world could certainly use more like you, but I don’t know if it is ready for my twin or not. One of these days, though, maybe the Lord will allow us to be close enough to fellowship some. That would be great.