Yes, we’ve all been here and seen them many times. However, it’s time to talk about them. Talk about what?

The absolutely amazing colors of fall.

Growing up on a farm, the colors that welcomed autumn were mostly light tan and brown. Those were the colors our surrounding grove treated us to as the temperatures went lower, lower etc. There were a few maples that honored us with red colors, and some sumac that enjoyed showing off their red fall leaves after a long season of green.

Usually what happened was that those colors of autumn disappeared very suddenly. That was a result of the lowering temperatures, and the gusty, gusty winds of the prairie. That environment taught me to stop and take time to savor those short lived colors.

Oh, of course we must toss in the happy color of orange. What would fall be like without those crazy funny pumpkins and their equally crazy funny carved and painted faces? Then, you add in the late autumn celebration of Halloween, and the neighborhood lights up with glowing carved pumpkins. Of course, there are those equally glowing costumes and painted faces of the children (and adults) around us.

Oh, those beautiful colors of fall!

The bluffs around us are murals of nature’s awesomeness. Take a look at them. They host every color of the season, and the views are all free! Coming from prairie land, those painted colors are precious to me and need to be respected.

I can’t help but mention the trees around here that bear little red berries. They can be a wonderful shade trees — like those that are in my coffee shop patio. But when they start dropping their berries on the sidewalks, the berries are a nuisance. However, that bit of inconvenience is a small price to pay for their fall colors.

Excuse me while I take a sip of Bad Weather Brewing autumnal Golden Octoberfest Lager. The can is an eye-popping orange painting of nature, and the slightly hazy look pairs nicely with the sweet malt taste. I recommend you take a can outside with you as you relax and enjoy the colors and flavors of the season.

The last few days have been a typical fall season. We go from overwhelming clouds to full sunlight and back and forth many times. But, I finally noticed something about that changing environment.

Walking by the river on a cloudy day, I was struck by the changing colors of the trees against the gray clouds. Then, I realized that the colored leaves are the same, but the canvas — meaning the sky — was different. It makes no different if the colors of fall have a gray canvas or a blue canvas, the magnificence of the season is always around us.

So, grab a pumpkin and get outside. Carve or paint a face on that pumpkin that will delight children and adults as they seek a treat from you. Let’s enjoy the time together. Let’s laugh together and come together as a family, a neighborhood, a state and a nation so we can enjoy the colors of fall.

May your autumn be filled with amazing colors, laughter, and of course, colorful costumes!

As always, eat and drink in moderation, but laugh with reckless abandon!

Cheers!