A Long, Late-Summer Inhale

This morning the breeze wafting through our bedroom window was a little crisper than it was last week, and Anthony and I skipped our morning run in favor of a long hike in the state park behind our place. As the trail winds through the woods and up to the summit, it provides a few precious peeks of the scene that awaits at the top—a beautiful, expansive view of New Haven stretching east to the banks of Long Island Sound and west to the wooded hills and valleys of central Connecticut. (We love this park. That picture up there…that’s the spot where we got engaged!)

When you reach the top and take in the fullness of the view, there is no doubt as to why New Haven is called the Elm City. From all the way up here you wouldn’t even know it was a city, all covered in trees and dotted with parks. As we stood there and took it in (probably for the 100^th time), breathing deeply of the fresh air and being thankful for another beautiful day, I couldn’t help but think how soon these lush green treetops would be ablaze in the miraculous colors of fall.

With fall comes our final year of graduate school, our last round of books, papers, and exams—a race to the finish that culminates in our wedding just days before the solstice ushers in yet another cold (but hopefully less snowy!) winter.

I love the sights, smells, and flavors of fall, but I am not quite ready to let this summer go. I’d like to stay still one more minute, to wiggle my fingers into Anthony’s hand, inhale deeply, and take it all in before things get good and crazy.

And so I’ll leave you with some of the wonderful flavors of late summer—ripe, juicy tomatoes (OK, in this case canned ones because I can’t bear to cook fresh tomatoes!) and rich, meaty eggplants. Enjoy, while you still can!