Summer is almost over

Summer is waning. The nights here in the Pacific Northwest are cooling down, and the leaves are starting to turn color.

It's an odd thing about fall here. In the Midwest, the leaves turn color and fall in a short period of time, usually three to four weeks. But one good stiff breeze over a day or two can knock pretty much all the leaves off the trees in one fell swoop.

But here, although the color starts to appear, the cycle of color and, well, falling, can last for three months. Fall lingers, gently guiding us to the cold bleakness of winter with a warm quilt of color to warm our memories.

I have always loved the autumn, because it means the start of school. One of the things that makes me happy about having children is that it gives me a place in the order of the year for me to celebrate new beginnings in the fall, instead of in the spring, when nature celebrates the beginning.

I love the cool, crispness of a fall morning. I even like the soft rain that falls here in the fall, so different than the driving, chilling rains in the Midwest. Those do come in late November, but by then we are focused on Christmas and winter, so I can complain about the winter rains, pretending it's still not autumn.

I love the odors of fall -- the smell of a school, newly sharpened pencils, pungent burning leaves and the spicier smell of wood smoke from chimneys. I love the sounds and smells of football on a Saturday afternoon or a Friday night. The smell of leather jackets and wool. All these feel like new beginnings.

When I was in school, I saw the start of school as a time of new beginnings, to make new friends, to reinvent myself, to enjoy a kind of rebirth.

Maybe as a Christian, I feel that tug of new beginnings. Martin Luther chose a day in late fall to deliver a death sentence and new life to the church when he posted his 95 Theses on the day before All Saints Day. And as the year reaches an end, we anticipate the birth of the Savior, instead of the death of the year.

Whatever the reason, I think of fall as a beginning, not as an ending. So here is to new beginnings, whatever they may be.

Treasure Hunters

Treasure Hunters, the summer reality series, had its season finale tonight. And, like a lot of reality show season finales, it was a bit anticlimactic.

Unlike other reality shows, where the people become the stars, from start to finish it was the hunt that was the star. Of course we cared about the teams, but we didn't keep watching to see the players -- we watched to see if we could outsmart them and figure out, first, the location of the next clue.

Our household started out pulling for Team Miss USA. Although they were a bit girly at times (they kept harping on the fact that they were weaker than the men because they were women), they were persistent, skilled in teamwork, and, like pageant queens, great at thinking on their feet.

After they were eliminated, our focus turned to Team Air Force. Especially with Brooke on their team, they were the team to beat from the beginning. A great example of teamwork, they were referred to as robots as their methodical, unflustered approach week after week placed them first or second.

But, in the end, it was the geeky, comparatively physically challenged Geniuses who found the $3million treasure. Because from start to finish, the star was the hunt. And the hunt was about the clues. And, in spite of the physical challenges, the clues were for the thinking man or woman.

And that's what made it so much fun to watch. Because if you know American History, you could quickly solve the riddles. Solving the riddles was the fun part.

So after the Geniuses were revealed as the winners tonight, we didn't really care about listening to the teams hash over their experience. In fact, we didn't really even care what the amount of the pot was. We just wanted to see them face one last challenge. Thankfully, ten viewers ran a mini-treasure hunt through DC, which made watching worthwhile.

I don't really care that much about the teams (although it was pretty sweet when Frances remarked, "Now my grandparents can retire," even without knowing the size of the kitty), but I'd watch another season in a heartbeat. But the question is: will Genworth Financial want to put up another treasure?