much like the vermin seeking for a home indoors, sensing the approaching cold, I begin to change. my patterns change, I can smell it in the air. I can smell the fall. the leaves about to turn and the tips of the mountains painted white in the morning. it makes me excited. I want to curl up at home, make a cup of hot chocolate, cook pork loin. sit and wait. watch things turn outside from the comfort of a fire. my tomatoes hang on and I am waiting for one to turn red, counting days. theirs and mine.

I realign myself for the approaching winter. anxiety building, suddenly seeing this town as a different place. my last winter here I fell in love with this town, the amazing whiteness and the cold. the rainy fall nights and sunny afternoons in the biting cold. the yellow hills and snowy mountains. warm cup of coffee on the way to the mountain, standing on the ridge an hour later. driving to the boiling river after a rad day of skiing.

while summer has been fun, it has seemed short. I enjoyed it quite a bit, but I am ready for winter. I am also ready for fall. hopefully this year it will happen with bright colors. the first time in my life that I enjoyed a fall, was in Bozeman.

even now, when I write it out, saying where I live, I smile at the fact that I live in my own paradise. I em excited about next season to come and I am excited about living here and having friends. I am excited about getting to live with my boyfriend in the same town. I am excited to continue with my skiing and exploring the bridgers. my life in montana has just barely gotten started, I look forward to building my life here.