When Summer and Fall Intersect

A soft, cool breeze blew across Lake Geneva as Chuck and I walked along the waters' edge. It was the first day of fall, my favorite season of all, and Chuck had brought me to Wisconsin for "us time."

We spent our honeymoon in Lake Geneva almost four years ago. It is one of our go-to getaway spots when we want to go somewhere, but not too far from home. We've visited in the winter, spring, and summer, but we realized, this was our first autumn trip to Lake Geneva.

Chuck and I love to talk, and we did a lot of it that day, talking of things of importance, and little things, and silly things. The golden sunlight of September filtered through the trees, casting a warm glow on everything it touched. 

We watched a black Labrador retriever play in the water. Couples and families wandered around the lake, passing us on the walking path, as we stopped frequently to take shots of anything we thought would be picture-worthy. 

Boats were out on the lake, and some had already been put in storage. The honking of Canadian geese filled the air as they flew overhead. The sun glittered across the surface of Lake Geneva, and flags fluttered in the breeze. 

Some of the leaves were beginning to turn from green to reds and golds, and many of the summer flowers were still in bloom. Summer would be lingering a little longer, while fall was just beginning to show off.

After lunch at Chuck's favorite restaurant, Popeye's at the Lake, which is not to be confused with Popeye's Louisiana-styled fried chicken. Chuck enjoyed a bacon cheeseburger, and I had grilled perch. With satisfied tummies, we headed to Walworth, Wisconsin in search of pumpkins, and all things fall.

Thankfully, the humidity had backed off to satisfy my low tolerance for dampness, and the temperatures were pleasantly warm, but not hot. My senses went into overload as I took everything in; orange pumpkins, red tomatoes, the smell of meat cooking on the grill, children running across gigantic bales of straw, artists painting big, cheerful pumpkins, the sound of laughter and talking.

As you know, Chuck is not a big fruit or veggie eater, but he knows I am. I chose tomatoes, a pie pumpkin, and a beautiful lacy pumpkin. Have you seen those? The skin is a light, cream color, and the orange and green veins over the skin look like lace draped over the pumpkin. I was delighted to see they were still selling watermelons, too. I was worried the watermelon season had ended, but I was able to choose a big, ripe melon to enjoy this first week of fall. 

Double-dipping the seasons is something I love to do. It was wonderful to enjoy some of the luxuries of summer and fall, all in the same day. It really was such a beautiful day, and the memory of it will be a treasure.