Walking on a Crisp Fall Morning

Where'd Summer go? $%^&%*! That's the question I keep asking about this beautiful, but all-too-soon Fall weather.

What took so long? That's the question Stella torments me with as she leaps off the porch for her morning walk.

The colder and crisper the weather, the better Stella likes it. Wind up her schnozz, hair blowing in the breeze, greeting kids on their way to school, examining every tree trunk, bush, and tufty clump of grass . . . .

This morning we were walking through the neighborhood and on one corner were four little girls waiting for the bus. Cute as could be. They took one look at Stella, Stella took one look at them and before I knew it, the girls asked if they could pet her and were trotting across the street to give her a bunch of big hugs.

We make our way up the street. Two more little girls were running our way heading to the bus pick-up corner. . . ."Hi Stella!" they both shouted as they gave her a quick stroke on their fly-by. Ah, what a great day.

We rounded the corner for home. Here comes a woman, a neighbor from somewhere in the nearby blocks, walking down the street. "Hi Stella!" she called as she came over for a pet and a proper hello.

Ah Stella. The Belle of the Neighborhood!

With a smile on her face, leaves in her beard, and a song in our combined hearts, we welcome Fall. I guess. :)