Cold light.

There's a quality of light that is seen only in Autumn. It's that beginning of the crispness in the air and for lack of a better explanation, the light starts to look cold. It's not the same as the cold of Winter; Autumn has the distinction of having a light that is seen through the changing leaves, whereas Winter's light has only the bare branches to peek through.


So although the light starts to look cold in Autumn, it's filtered through leaves of bright yellow, red and orange. That cold, sparkling light highlights the best of the season the same way that the Summer's warmth shows off the green.

But my favourite thing about Autumn light is the low-lying, late-day sun through the tree trunks. That cold air gives a hazy crackle to that last light of the day. It has a soft sting unlike any other light of the year. 


The light, the smell of the earth and the descending cold blankets everything with a dreamy quality that gets me thinking about making a big pot of soup or chili. Soft Autumn light, the pungent scent of rotting leaves, chilly air, chili in the pot... Yes, that sounds about right.

Clouds of white breath, cold fingertips, rosy cheeks, pink noses. The time of year when you know you'll have to bust out the mittens soon, but not quite yet. That nip in the air is still invigorating and as long as you keep moving, it feels lovely on your skin and in your hair. 


 Cold light and that warm, fuzzy feeling. Strange how those two go together.