Fall for many folks is a glorious season.  In the Midwest we get to enjoy the leaves turning to brilliant colors, warm shirt -sleeve days and two blanket nights.  It’s a time when some look forward to being done with the weekly grass cutting and trading the time to watch football.

In my world it is a time when I am torn between fishing and hunting.  It is also a time when I look at those brightly colored leaves and know that eventually they will fall and cover my lawn.  It is also a time when I will need to rake them at my cabin.  Now before you think I am an ogre, let me say I enjoy fall as much as anyone. But being task oriented type A personality that I am, I want all the tasks finished before the first snowfall and deer season, whichever comes first.

Another fall activity is the annual fishing trip with my son and his friends.  I enjoy being asked and going along even though I am the old guy in the crowd.  Maybe they just enjoy dragging a senior citizen along hoping that he can get them discount via his AARP card.  But in any case I still like the trips. It’s a special time. The best part is spending time together; having some laughs and engage in some competitive fishing.

Fall is also when a friend comes to the cabin and we archery hunt.  The day starts before sunrise with that life giving gift of coffee that jump starts our hearts.  Out to the woods we go and eagerly await a deer or lunch.  This year put us on a mission to find a new diner.  Over this past winter two of the nearby ones burned and the third closed due to the health of the owner.  Fortunately, we found a new place with a varied menu, decent prices, friendly service and good coffee.  Hunting deer is second place to good conversation, laughs and watching westerns in the evening.  Sorry folks but watching “Dancing with the Stars” or “The Voice” would require us to shred our man cards.

The leaves have finally begun to fall in earnest, the cabin needs winterizing and some of my fall chores have been completed.  What really mattered were the meaningful experiences with my son and my “hunting” friend.  The leaves?  They will be waiting for me in the spring if there is an early snow, and if it does snow, well, no one will know because they will be covered.