A couple of weeks ago saw the first day of fall. Our youngestdaughter wandered into the den early that morning as my husband andI lingered over our morning coffee and discussed our schedules forthe day.

I greeted her with, “Happy first day of fall!”

She froze, looked at me suspiciously, and said, “What’s gonnahappen?”

We had a pretty good laugh at that; she looked worried likesomething cataclysmic was about to happen.

To tell the truth, lately I have wished for an immediate – notnecessarily cataclysmic – temperature change. But a Mississippifall is definitely much more subtle and gradual than in northerlyareas of our country.

The northeast is known for its leaves of bright gold, orange andred, whereas Mississippi has a slow retiring and crisping of theleaves as they gradually drop.

I’ve really enjoyed the last few weeks; the early morningcoolness that makes that cup of coffee taste so delicious whilebeing sipped on the back porch, a quiet respite before theday-to-day hustle that we all have to face.

The last few chilly mornings and milder days have beenwonderful, despite the burn warnings and the fact that we have hadto run the sprinklers to keep our yard from dying. The transitionmonths are my favorite time of the year.

I’ve never been a great fan of summer. I grew up with friendswho all could tan dark as pecans, while I was on the unfortunatesunburned, freckled and pale end of the spectrum. I’ve alwaysavoided overexposure to the sun. Burns hurt and the fear of skincancer has been quite a deterrent from me ever being asunbather.

I also love cold weather clothes, finding them so much moreinteresting and comfortable than summer clothes – probablyhearkening back to the whole pale legs and arms issue that I willreadily admit to having.

I also love the events and the food that the colder weatheraccompanies!

The upcoming months have some really fun traditions here inBrookhaven. The Junior Auxiliary’s Shrimp Dinner is something thatmy kids look forward to every year. Our girls are shrimp lovers tothe nth degree – they get literally giddy over the first “ShrimpDinner” sign they see posted in one of the local businesses.

Last year was the first time that we allowed the girls to comewith us to Brookhaven Animal Rescue League’s Celebrity Dinner.They, of course, will be with us this year, as both my husband andI are on the wait staff.

I have sweetly explained, once again, to my girls the process ofthe silent auction and why it is reserved for the gainfullyemployed adults attending the affair. For some reason, it didn’toccur to them that if you “won” the silent auction that youactually have to “pay.” You can imagine the punch to the gut I feltwhen I realized that they were very happily competing with theother guests in bidding for many items last year!

Of course, the food lover in me is so excited about this year’sTaste of the Trust that is coming up on Nov. 4. It is akin to thethrill that my kids feel when we take them to the Beau Rivage forthe buffet. The Trust event always has some of the best foodexperts and restaurateurs, doing what they do best! Add to it thelive music, visiting with great friends, and an excellent silentauction (no, my kids won’t be attending) and you have all theingredients for a very fun night!

All in all, fall in Brookhaven is fun-filled and a great slideinto the winter months and all the fun they bring. Enjoy!

Lifestyles Editor Rachel Brumfield can be reached at TheDAILY LEADER at 601-833-6961, ext 134, by e-mail atlifestyles@dailyleader.com or you can write to her at P.O. Box 551,Brookhaven MS 39602.