In my neck of the woods, it’s that time of the year… Technically, it’s all seasons in a day, but the cool down is starting to stick more than the summer heat. So I’m starting to think of those cozy things. Hoodies, bon fires, sweaters, the apple pumpkin products… So this week’s theme is a teaser to the season changes.

What better way to think about characters and their sneaky ways to get closer than thinking of ways to stay warm in each other’s presence? Bonus points if you have read this long enough and have a sense of who this song might refer to…

Sweater Weather – The Neighbourhood

Another character teller is about a hoodie. This one is clearly a Tweety track. That upbeat sound to a memory, the details on the item but no mention of where it came from… That’s Tweety’s style. Pain in a pop song. And yet, you could totally see her up at night in his hoodie if you thought about it. Because warmth is more than fighting off chills in sweaters. It’s something comfortable too, familiar and worn in in all the ways that mean something to you.

Hoodie – Hey Violet

With the night falling sooner and sooner, the heat that burns in the summer has to find new ways to attract. The sparks still come, in the light or dark, but the appeal of natural simmering animal like air? When the seasons change, it becomes the mystery of the dark. The allure of the unknown. Sunsets give way to moon light and that thing that pulls you together, sharing warmth like personal fires drawn by that different lighting and a need to be close. But only to stay out of the chill, you promise…

Moondance – Van Morrison

The fun drive songs slow down to more of a nostalgic homey vibe. More comfort than sing along. Still the same get in the car and drive tunes, windows down, but with a color changing destination instead of sandy ones. The leaves prove that even changes can be different and colorful and yet steady. Like a road you traveled before, but maybe this time it’s a different purpose or different company controlling your radio in the last few weeks of adventures.

October Road – James Taylor

Those leaves? They make wooded adventures crunch, shapes change daily, and add a natural blanket to the ground. Some use it for last acts of love before the ground freezes. Others? Hide in the darkness, blending in with nature to camouflage their intents and purposes. As we leave a month of history and “before” times behind, one would hope that lessons were learned. October is coming, and masks aren’t just for Halloween and horror films. No matter how much a masked man might convince you to try the forest out for a date…

Meet Me In The Woods – Lord Huron