Summer was great. I had tons of time to read and work on a fun new writing project. I edited a little. I traveled to Vancouver for a week and remembered how much I love the West Coast. My sister Suzanne adopted a puppy named Ethel (see banner). All good.

But I’m always glad to break out the long sleeves again and welcome autumn. To me, it always seems like the real new year. It’s when I take stock, make resolutions and new schedules.  It’s been decades since I’ve been in school—I’d be a forty-fourth grader this fall—but I still feel as though September is the time to start afresh.

Bonus: the trees in my city put on a pretty good show this time of year.