By Katie Finch, Senior Nature Educator and Interim Education Projects Manager
A few weeks ago, I walked out of work in a dreadful mood. Nothing drastic happened. It was just the accumulation of lots of small things that I couldn’t get ahead of. Crossing the parking lot, I spotted a fall-colored maple leaf. It was striking. A tie-dye combination of red and yellow glowing in a sliver of sunshine against the black pavement.
It was such a small thing. But in that moment, I was reminded that things are okay. Challenges can be overcome, and life is beautiful. And I went home with a slightly more upturned mouth.
It seems trivial and perhaps a bit silly to let a small, fleeting thing affect me so much. But I needed a change. This leaf brought the same unexpected, heart-warming joy that can come from a baby’s smile, a loved one’s face, or your favorite song.
The song is full of imagery of the small things that give us joy in both good and bad times – crisp apple strudels, sleigh bells, and silver white winters. Originally written by Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers, other artists have performed their own version of this song, from Dianna Ross to Ariana Grande. Why couldn’t I create my own version? Feeling a bit whimsical and inspired by a maple leaf, this fall season, and Julie Andrews, I submit my own version to celebrate this fall season.
My (Fall) Favorite Things
Misty morning walks, spider’s webs covered in dew
Big puffy clouds and the sun shining through
The whoosh of some birds as they pass on the wing
These are a few of my favorite things
Chubby-cheeked chipmunks, the blue of rain showers
Asters and boneset and jewelweed with flowers
Carolina Wrens ring out joy as they sing
These are a few of my favorite things
Sweet smell of grapes and bright spicebush red berries
Autumn leaves on trees and the ones the wind carries
Eating tomatoes I grew from a seed
These are a few of my favorite things
When the work’s tough
When my mood sinks
When I’m feeling sad
I wander outside to look for these things
And then I don’t feel so bad.
The more I thought about this moment, the more things I found that bring me joy in the outside world. I found myself nostalgically humming a tune from childhood, “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music. The song comforts the children during a thunderstorm.
I am certainly no Rodgers or Hammerstein, but it felt good to be silly. And I felt I could go on to more verses. The world is full of so many gifts, the outside world especially. Nature can be tough to deal with, just like life. But it can also be a place of comfort, peace, and joy.
It is up to us to decide what to do with our feelings. We can decide to search for good things and give gratitude for them, even if it’s in a parody of a song. It is these good things that shore us up when bad things happen and we’re feeling sad. What are your favorite fall things? I hope some of them are outside, and I hope you get to go out and find them.
Audubon Community Nature Center builds and nurtures connections between people and nature. ACNC is located just east of Route 62 between Warren and Jamestown. The trails are open from dawn to dusk and birds of prey can be viewed anytime the trails are open. The Nature Center is open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily except Sunday when it opens at 1 p.m. More information can be found online at auduboncnc.org or by calling (716) 569-2345.
Katie Finch is the Senior Nature Educator and Interim Education Projects Manager at Audubon Community Nature Center.
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