Autumn Leaves

In the fall, leaf piles are fun. They are big, colorful, crackly and itchy. It's time to get out the rake and find a bunch of leaves. You rake them up and hear them crackle as they form a pile. The pile grows bigger and bigger until you finally tire.

One, two, three - jump! The leaves break and crackle. It's fun to bury yourself in them. But when they get down your shirt you itch all over!

The leaves are scattered, so you get up and rake them into a pile once more. One, two, three - jump! The leaves fly up and are swept away by the light wind that has moved into the early evening.

Crunch, crunch, you walk up the lawn through the wind-blown leaves, dragging your rake behind you.

''I hope the leaves are still here tomorrow,'' you say as you prop your rake against the side of the house.

You stop to look at the bare trees and the gray sky before you open the door to a house warmed by a blazing fire in the living room fireplace.