FALLin' in on me

I can't tell ya how nice it has been to have the last couple of days seem like fall. The blistering heat and blast-furnace air when I walk outside the house in the morning was replaced by a hint of chill. Couple of nights ago, we went to a house in the country for a "cottage meeting" of folks from our church. It was 'way out there in the hills (I'll bet you didn't know there WERE small rolling hills on the Gulf coast.) with the moon shining brightly on the way back in. When we left town, the dust was boiling up from the cars in front of us, who were going to the same destination, so we ate their dust all the way out.

But, once we got to the destination, we were all wowed by getting to sit on chairs on a LARGE porch in the style of the early 20th century for ranch houses. It went all the way along the front of the house and part way down the northeast side. We sat in rockers and chaise lounges and comfy chairs, having conversations and enjoying the cool breeze passing over us. We discussed the HUGE palm tree in the front yard of the home, planted many years ago by the current owner's mother, to the upset of the owner's father. Now it sits, recommended to be cut down by many, full of woodpecker holes, home to birds and roaches. Who knows when it will fall on the ranch house? But it certainly IS a conversation piece.

After pie and coffee, we settled down to discussing the future of our church with the folks who direct that future as parishioners. Although I didn't think I'd like it when these meetings began, this is truly my favorite part of the get-togethers, surpassing even the tasty morsels of food. Finding out about folks' origins, abilities, wants and needs. What shapes their ideas, as well as how well they can discuss them, along with the terms they use, all are part of the conversation that I don't miss out on at all.

When we got home and got out of the car for the short trip into the house from the driveway, I thought again of the delicious nature of fall and cooler weather. And I waved at the moon as I went inside; a perfect end to a perfect day.