Fall. Autumn. Whatever it’s called, it’s majestic. I now understand, New Zealand actually does miss out on this season. I never believed it – “we get brown leaves!” – but when you see an ocean of bright orange, stretching from the dry road up to the crisp, white snow capped mountains you understand what fall colours really are. Fall is not about dead leaves as I always believed. It’s a whole transition of colours, very much alive, but taking on hues of brown, orange, yellow and deep red. Ok, perhaps the leaves are dying, but they do so in such a beguiling manner!

We ventured out recently, on a warm, still evening and enjoyed the crunch of the leaves, the dappled lighting, the early(ish) sunset and the great, reflective pools of water  – the only evidence of last week’s premature snow storm.

We appreciate having this last snippet of beautiful weather, cloudless blue skies, and temperatures hovering just below 20˚C – much higher than the annual average for this time of year. The early evening has become the best time for photos, the last chance to snap a shot of dinner before the light drops below the edge of our window, and the soft lighting has been great for practicing some portraits, and the odd action shot.

Well aware that the ‘difficulties of winter’ – as we hear about – are due to start over the next few weeks as the period of darkness throughout the night drastically lengthens, we have strived to continue practicing healthy lifestyle habits to ensure they stick with us throughout winter: rising early despite the darkness in the mornings, cranking the bright lights inside to ensure the circadian clock is reset (more on this later), getting out for a bike, stroll or workout during lunch break, taking an evening walk to savor the changing seasons.

We also stumbled upon this wee Toyota which Jesse has been working on. I think the decision to buy this bad boy is one we will not regret, especially when the desire to curl up inside with a slice of cake and a cup of tea overrides that of hiking to the recreation center to join in the fun amidst a never-ending snowstorm. No doubt our social lives (ie avoiding hibernation) may well be enhanced through ownership of a car!