I finally return to my rural home in a little town where everyone knows everyone
Welcomed by the familiar scents of spices, maple sugar, apple cinnamon, pumpkin bread and other home baked pastries
The fresh smelling air is so pure
As if untouched
The dirt road leading to my driveway is a shade of burnt sienna, clashing with the autumn-tinted leaves
A slight frost blankets the gravelly surface
Deer feed on the remnants of our apple tree while birds scavenge for the last seed in the desolate bird feeder
An icy breeze serves as a melody, triggering the trees to dance
Hypnotized by their fluid motions and the comforting sensation of the surrounding familiarities
Reminiscing in my fondest memories
I reflect back on previous seasons and the varying sensory details that come to mind
Winter is coming
I imagine the glistening icicles dangling off my rooftop
The sweet smell of hot cocoa, peppermint, pine needles and burning firewood
The remaining animals, not phased by hibernation, leave paw prints in the powdery snow
Goosebumps spread across my skin as I zip up my fleece
I head inside where water bubbles on the stove and a blanket lies adjacent to the fireplace
As I slowly gain feeling back in my fingertips, it feels as though needles prick my frozen toes as they begin to thaw out
Bundled up next to the fire
Dark embers set ablaze.