Savoring Autumn

It is officially fall in Geneva. We had a nice span of amazing weather here for several weeks, and then some Seattle-style rain and cold, and now it looks like we'll be back to sunshine and crisp, cold days for the next week or so. I love fall! It is by far my favorite time of year, especially in the kinds of climates found in Washington, Colorado, France, and Switzerland.

This year, I've been feeling quite nostaligic for the typical autumn rituals in the USA, and especially in the Pacific Northwest: pumpkin picking and pumpkin carving; traditional Thanksgiving dinners; lattes on lattes on lattes on...; drinking said lattes in a cozy coffee shop with a good book or an interesting project for school; snow that surprises you one morning with its sparkly presence, only to be gone by the end of the day; corn mazes and hot apple cider; wearing all of my favorite fall sweaters; crunching leaves on morning walks to class (Colorado) or sloshing through soggy leaves in Seattle's U-District or in downtown Vancouver (Washington); delicious and dark microbrew beers; and cozy nights in, with candles going, chili cooking, and red wine in hand.

While I am very excited to return to the States and to home, I do have many things to look forward to in my final five weeks in Switzerland: mulled wine at the Thursday wine and cheese market; fondue on the lake at Bain des Paquis; one last trip into the mountains with friends for my birthday weekend (this weekend!); turning 26 (on Sunday!); crisp sunny days that begin with a layer of fog over the lake; Friendsgiving with the Korbel in Geneva crew; a weekend in Florence with my parents; and showing my parents around Geneva and the region for a week before we return to the States together, just in time for Christmas.

The past month has been more than moderately crazy, both emotionally and busy-ness-wise, but I am lately more aware of the people and daily moments in life and the places in the world for which I am grateful. Autumn brings on those feelings naturally, but being recently single and facing the final months of my graduate program and the prospect of real-real life beginning in June, I find myself wanting to slow down, see, feel, breathe, accept, and celebrate!

So, here's to the endless reasons to celebrate life, particularly via the adventures I've been having around town in the past month:

Visiting museums in town (Maison Tavel - medieval history of Geneva, Natural History museum, Patek Philippe watch museum)

What a cute and studious seagull!

Yes, that is the world's oldest two-headed turtle. It was mezmerizing to watch him
try to move with his two little heads (and two little butts/tails!).

Walks through town