Finally, a little spell of cooler weather has arrived! Even though it heated up again, the cooler temperatures over the weekend were a pleasant reminder that fall and more of the cooler air will soon be here to stay for just a little while.
I can't tell you just why I like it, but fall and the chilly air of the season are a favorite of mine. I'm not talking about the bone-chilling, sub-zero winds of the North which can quickly drive a fellow indoors and next to a hot fire, but I don't mind the brisk mornings or even the cold rains that often accompany the cooler weather. The early snows are fine with me too if I can avoid a lot of driving on slick roads -- even though I've had my share of driving big trucks across miles and miles of icy highways, I don't find it less stressful.
Perhaps I like a little cold because of the time I spent outdoors in places like Minnesota, the Dakotas, Kansas and Nebraska. There's just something about brisk air blowing on my face that I like. I like hearing the rustle of the leaves and taking walks in the falling snow, but the chill of the air is an important part of it all.
Maybe it has something to do with being alone -- I spent years working alone, whether in a big truck or patrol car. It seems that places which are crowded and full of people during the warmer months empty out when a cold wind is blowing, snow is falling or a near-freezing rainy mist is in the air. One state park I patrolled, which was full of people in the summer months, seldom had visitors during the late fall and winter months.
The coming of fall and winter also reminds me of hunting seasons in years gone by, whether it be walking through a field or woods or sitting quietly and waiting and watching. It was usually a solitary time -- a time to clear my mind and think about things different than the everyday thoughts which occupied my mind the rest of the year. And, to be honest with you, it was less about the hunt than spending time alone in the field that I liked; and when that deer walked out and in my sights, squeezing the trigger was somewhat of a disappointment because it meant the hunt was over and it was time to get back to work. There were times I didn't take the deer I could have taken, mostly because I wasn't ready for my time afield to end.
I'm not planning any hunting trips this year -- guess I haven't gone for about 10 years now -- but I am planning a little away time afield in the woods or mountains if I can work that out. I'll probably take my camera, probably an old film camera instead of digital, and enjoy God's creation and capture some images of it -- on film, if I can.
It's sometimes refreshing to take photos the old way, using a light meter, obtaining an exposure value and setting aperture and shutter speed for the best possible exposure and effect. The process takes time, thought and a little planning. It means more time in the field and less time editing and fixing photos on a computer screen. And, for some reason, that sounds like a nice change of pace.
Yes, I think I'll take a film camera and see what kind of images I can capture using an old art. But, perhaps more than anything, I'll just enjoy a little time away and feeling the cold wind on my face.
Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 09/16/2015