OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
THIS IS THE BEST MONTH
Give October a shout out. My feeling has always been that October is the best month of the year.
Even though Minnesota can have beautiful summer months, Christmas is in December, and flowers and grass emerge in April, no month can hold a candle to October in my opinion.
The weather in October is generally where we would like to have it over the entire year. It's not uncomfortably hot and humid, yet it's also not unbearably cold.
The vivid colors of October are also unmatched by any other month.
Fields of pumpkins seemingly sparke orange on a sun-splashed day, rekindling childhood memories. My family always traveled out to a pumpkin patch where my sister and I would pick out any pumpkin we wanted. We would also pick apples at an orchard for our mom to make apple crisp.
My parents always decorated the house inside and out for Halloween, "pooh-poohing" one neighbor who thought Halloween was for evil people. My mom quelled his opinion when she asked him why his kids always came over for the Halloween cookies and carameled apples that she passed out (homemade treats were the norm back in the day). He never said another word about Halloween after that.
I still decorate my home for Halloween. I've never considered Halloween as anything evil even if witches, ghosts and monsters are among the costumes and decorations. To me, it's "Kid's Day", much like Mother's Day and Father's Day.
The splendor of watching leaves turn colors is the beauty of the month. Nothing beats going for a walk on a crisp October day as one leaf after another releases its grip and flutters to the ground ahead, then crackling under your footsteps. It can not only be good exercise, but also a great stress-reliever.
Watching the costumed kiddies with smiles on their faces as they fill their Halloween treat bags from homes with carved pumpkins resting on a front step can warm the heart of even the bitterest of individuals.
High school football and volleyball are in full swing in October with playoffs an exciting time, especially for Minneota fans.
Bundling up on a cool evening to watch football with a cup of hot chocolate, while the lights illuminate the blue and gold Viking uniforms against an emerald grass floor is as good as it gets.
October also allows us to watch college or professional football in person or on TV with a bowl of chili, hot wings or nachos.
There are also no pesky mosquitoes bothering those sitting around an outdoor fire pit on a cool October evening with friends and family while munching on a S'more.
Don't forget the Major League Baseball playoffs in October. While the Twins have fallen out of the playoffs, it was still an exciting time for fans as evidenced by seeing all the "Homer Hankies" at Target Field. Whether or not the Twins are involved, the World Series is a "must see" for diehard diamond fans. That's why it's called the "October Classic", even though the playoffs now extend into November.
October features all four major sports being played at one time. The NHL begins its season on Oct. 10 and the NBA starts on Oct. 24. The WNBA finals are this month, too.
Farm fields, which once stood tall, are now getting sheared off as farmers are busy harvesting their crops, hoping to reap the benefits of their hard work.
For those couch potatoes who love watching the Hallmark channel, October is already showcasing its Christmas shows. For those of us who like a a good scary flick every now and then, October is the best time to find Jason, Freddy or Michael.
And who can beat "It's a Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" for viewing pleasure?
October is also the beginning of the final quarter of the year and kicks off the upcoming family tradition months that spotlight Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Nothing beats October for me. It still holds a special place in my heart for many reasons.
Yeah, yeah. I know there are a few downfalls to the month, too. The blizzard of 1991 reminds us that we can have snow this month. The days are also getting shorter. For every negative thing in October, though, there are many positive qualities.
I'm thankful October is one of the seven months with 31 days.
BUTKUS WAS MY HERO
The sports world lost an NFL legend recently when former Chicago Bears Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus passed away at age 80.
I have been a Chicago Bears fan my entire life (it's been hard to admit for many years). I was covering a Vikings vs. Bears game with a colleague for a newspaper during the 1985 season. After the game, my colleague went into the Vikings locker room to interview players, and I went into the Bears locker room.
The visiting team's locker room at the former Metrodome was quite small in comparison to the Vikings' locker room. With so many behemoth men walking around in there I was getting squeezed up against a giant laundry cart. Former Bears linebacker Ron Rivera, who is now the head coach of the Washington Commanders, accidentally bumped into me, sending me falling backward into one of these deep laundry carts. I was saved from falling in by a man on the other side of the cart who steadied me with one big paw.
I turned around to thank him and it was Dick Butkus, who was working with a radio station covering the game. He just looked at me and nodded as I thanked him.