Fall Equinox Friday Five

Thanks to Songbird for this week's lovely Friday Five:

It's that time of year, at least north of the equator. The windows are still open, but the darned furnace comes on early in the morning. My husband went out for a walk after an early supper and came home in full darkness.
And yes, where we live, leaves are beginning to turn.
As this vivid season begins, tell us five favorite things about fall:

This year is actually the first one that I haven't been dragged into autumn, kicking and screaming all the way. I'm looking forward to it, maybe because the summer was so busy. It feels really right for things to get cozier and cooler.

1) A fragrance
I LOVE the smell of leaves on the ground. The first time I really experienced that was at college in Ohio, and the smell still takes me back there. I think college is where I learned (rather late, I know) to play, so leaves are a really happy smell for me.

2) A color
Orange! Of course orange! Because they're the color of... SWEET POTATOES!!! Mmmm... I was saying just yesterday that it's time for those tasty tubers again!

3) An item of clothing
My 14-year old cowboy boots. I'm wearing them today for the first time this season. I love them. These suckers will live forever! They're brown, and scuffed (though I realized last year that I actually can polish them!), and the toe of one is raggedy from where my old roommate's rabbit chewed it. I love them. (Though, don't tell, but I'm going to find me a red pair this year! Too much Footloose in formative years? Maybe.)

4) An activity
I love being outdoors, doing just about anything this time of year. Frisbee, running, biking. It's just gorgeous.

5) A special day
Well, next week Mr. M and I celebrate 4 years of being married! And I keep noticing that I enjoy him more every year, so 9/25 is definitely going to count as my special day.