Admiring the October beauty
Unlike many people, I rather enjoy the end of summer. I look forward to the changes that come in the fall, and I especially enjoy the month of October. In the ancient Roman calendar, October was the name of the eighth month of the year. When the Romans converted their calendar system to a 12-month calendar, they attempted to rename the month after Roman emperors. However, this attempt failed, and the name October remained.
A lot of daylight is lost during October. From October onwards, we lose about 3 minutes of sun per day. We lose approximately 50 minutes by the end of the month. This year, on October 31, sunset in Eau Claire will occur at 5:56 p.m. Our average temperatures also see a considerable change during October. Our high temperatures in Wisconsin for October are in the 57°F to 62°F range. Our low temperatures range from 32°F to 45°F.
These changes in daylight and temperature result in very different scenery in Wisconsin. The tree leaves change to their brilliant fall colors, gardens wither and die, and corn fields have become golden brown. It is the perfect time for leisurely drives through Wisconsin’s beautiful countryside. I feel sorry for people who do not experience the beautiful change of seasons that we have every year.
Last October, I was chatting online with a young man who lives in Ghana, Africa. My wife and I help support his educational expenses through our church. He saw several photos of our home and asked me why the leaves were all different colors. Apparently, he had never seen the beauty of fall colors. So I explained to him how our leaves change during the autumn season. He then asked about the pumpkins I had on our steps. He had never seen a pumpkin before, much less a jack-olantern. The concept of Halloween took a lot of work for him to understand. Apple orchards, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and cold frosty mornings are all part of the beautiful month of October. The sweet taste of caramel apples and the smell of burning leaves are nostalgic reminders of October when I was a child. I cannot imagine growing up without ever experiencing jumping into a massive pile of leaves or going for a hayride on a cold October night.
Sitting outside on a crisp October night is fun, drinking a hot coffee while a fire burns in our fire ring. The glow of Tiki torches adds to the atmosphere of the beautiful crisp fall evening. And I often send up a silent prayer giving thanks for living in Wisconsin.
Be Our
G uest
