Autumn Envy by Aileen Fish

I grew up in the greater Los Angeles area. In spite of what people say, we have four seasons. The difference is three of them are brown and one is green. It's only the temperature that varies.

I didn't much miss the beautiful colors of fall as a child; you don't realize you're missing something you never had. My mom had also grown up in Los Angeles, but she dreamed of seeing all the fall leaves changing. One year Dad made her wish come true by taking her to New England in October.

A few years back I got to see what I was missing when I moved to Missouri in the fall. No one had prepared me for what I saw. Driving down a winding, rolling highway I reached the peak of a hill only to see a sea of color spreading for miles. I was speechless! The variations of yellows and oranges, the slow-changing greens...there was nothing else like it.

Driving through my neighborhood there is where I discovered the real magic of fall. As the sunlight falls though those orange and yellow leaves, it takes on their hue, so the air around you glows. I would slow down each time I approached a large tree beside the road just to be in the radiance as long as I could.

Yes, my neighbors probably thought I was odd, and they were right. But I was living in the moment, enjoying my surroundings.

I miss the changing leaves, but I still appreciate what fall brings in Southern California. The cooling temperatures are a blessing after weeks of hundred-degree weather. We can sit outside again. The dogs will lie in the sunlight and enjoy it for a change.

It's also quiet. The air conditioner no longer comes on, and the heater hasn't been turned on, so you can hear the world outside. With the dogs, that's not always a good thing, as they have to scare everything away.

~*~

USA Today Bestselling Author Aileen Fish is an avid quilter and auto racing fan who finds there aren't enough hours in a day/week/lifetime to stay up with her "to do" list. There is always another quilt or story begging to steal away attention from the others. Her books include The Bridgethorpe Brides series and the Small Town Sweethearts series. Stay up to date with book releases at her website http://aileenfish.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Her latest release, The Cowboy's Christmas Bride, is included in the Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 anthology, available now at the major vendors.

Welcome in the holiday season with 19 heartwarming and wholesome novellas from New York Times, USA Today, national bestselling, and award-winning authors.

Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 takes you from the Smoky Mountains to Florida’s sun-drenched beaches, from the Italian Alps to Paris, France, and even to a quirky little town in Arizona. The Sweet Christmas Kisses 2 bundle features all-new, stand-alone stories that are sure to make you laugh, sometimes bring tears to your eyes, but always put you in the Christmas spirit. Foreword by New York Times bestselling author, RaeAnne Thayne.

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Winter Walks by Alicia Street

We’ve had our share of snow in the northeastern US this year, and I really like it. Walking in the snow is great for musing over elements in the current novel I’m writing or else savoring one I’ve just read. Cold crisp air never fails to sharpen my senses, wake up my brain cells, and refresh my computered-out eyes.

I also love seeing the way pets act in the snow. They have a good time outside as long as they have a nice home to come back to, just like people. But when I think of the strays out there braving the harsh elements, it breaks my heart. I’m grateful for the local rescue groups and also national ones like the Animal Rescue Site where you can help feed and rescue strays with a simple click.

 On one winter walk, I found a stray cat I named Wallace. He was only a swollen-bellied kitten then, but he is now eighteen years old. And he doesn’t much like going out in the cold anymore. At this point in his life, he’d rather do most of his thinking while napping on a sofa pillow.

Do you like walking in the snow? 

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Alicia Street is a USA Today bestselling author and a Daphne du Maurier award-winner. She often writes in collaboration with her husband, Roy, and is grateful to have the kind of marriage that proves romance novel love really exists. You can connect with Alicia at her website, Facebook or Twitter.