Absolutely, Positively

What do you like most about where you live?

It's easy to be negative, isn't it? I'm so guilty of that. It's so easy to get upset over things that throw off your routine, that make you late for work, or cause you to miss appointments and parties.

But when you look around, do you also see the positive attributes of your home / city?

I absolutely, positively love Autumn. The colours, the falling leaves, the temperatures, that feeling of settling in for work after a nice break... I love it all. 

Autumn, for me, feels like a new beginning, despite it being the season for 'putting everything away for the winter.'  It is the season of returning to school and that feeling of starting fresh.

School-aged children and educators all know that the year really starts in September and ends in June, and July and August are super-special bonus months, while everyone else runs on the January - December calendar year. It's kind of just the way things are for us.

Snye photo
by Teresina Benoit

So, autumn makes me happy. One of the best things about the fall is going for walks on cool days, then curling up with a good book or movie and a steaming hot cup of your favourite drink. 

In Fort McMurray, one of my favourite places is the Snye. I took this picture a couple of years ago in the fall at the Snye. Often, I go there to read or decompress, just to shake off the day's events. I used to bring Harlequin walking there before this summer.

The colours are beautiful. The river is beautiful. Sometimes, you just need to find a place that is a treat to visit, that makes you feel comfortable but is away from home. That is the Snye for me - outside, different, peaceful.

Autumn in Fort McMurray is beautiful. Absolutely, positively beautiful.