The Midwest is beautiful this time of year. It offers the platonic ideal of autumn. The leaves are in that beautiful in-between state, all red and yellow and auburn. They crunch beneath your boot with a satisfying sound. Families are taking trips to pumpkin patches and apple orchards, scooping out pumpkin guts and putting them on their stoop. We're still wearing light jackets because we know how bad it can get and we're thankful we're not quite there yet. We're sipping autumnal brews and apple cider from our local farmer's market. We're watching the sunset through the trees as we come home from work (it's thankfully not dark yet at quittin' time).
It's my favorite time of year in the Midwest by far. It's the reason to live there, between the sweltering summer and the punishing winter. It's a time for friends, family, and candy corn. And, as always, it's a time for memes.