Take a moment to appreciate the beauty

It is pretty cold outside.  When I hung my wet clothes outdoors this morning, I didn't really think it would actually dry in the chilly 8°C/46°F temperatures.  When it gets super cold, hanging the laundry inside is a much quicker way to get everything dry.  It eventually dried outside, but it took all day to do so.

From the moment I walked outside in the morning, the cold took hold.  My toes quickly told me that my socks were not thick enough and I had to grab my scarf.

While some might complain about the cold, I am not.  It is actually something I really appreciate about Tokyo.  The temperature drops significantly and quickly here, allowing for trees to glow with vibrant autumn colors.  Even in December, the colors are still breathtaking.

I biked to my favorite produce shop today, Mart Shiroyama, with a friend.  As we came back, my bike carefully balancing a box of tasty tangerines and another of sweet potatoes, as well as more produce, we found ourselves stopping to enjoy the view of beautiful autumn leaves.

As my friend and I exclaimed over the view, I mentioned that this activity is very rare in the US.  First of all, in Seattle, the colors are not so vibrant because the temperature drops much slower, plus it rains forcing the leaves to fall much quicker from the trees.  Secondly, we spend so much time in our car.  We drive past the colors, hurrying onto the next stop on our agenda.

Here in Tokyo, I'm able to really stop and apricate the colors of the season.  It was such a highlight of my day to really stop and take it all in.