Here comes Autumn, the days shorten as the nights lenghten, and the air cools.

A time of harvest, of preparing for the Winter that follows. Since ancient times, humans have made use of this time of year to gather in foodstuffs, to prepare their dwellings, to have their lives in order for the following season.

The Etruscans are a people of antiquity, and some say they predate the Romans on the Italian Peninsula. They were an artfully gifted group, and left behind in their tombs many fine examples of their craftsmanship which are marvels for us today. One of the most interesting traits of theirs was expressed in their funeral statuary, as the deceased is always shown smiling. What a contrast to other cultures and times, even today. And the only word of their language that survives to this day is autumn. Maybe they knew something that we have forgotten as they and their culture disappeared.

 Enjoy the colors of Autumn!

Prosperous Autumn, that I may smile in the face of death, and enjoy life!