Orange is my favourite colour. Its full of excitement, and possibilities, of comfort, fire, happiness and hope. Fall speaks to me soul bc it covers the world in orange. At home, in the form of streaks across the sky, alongside the powerful hum of the ocean and the ice plant that dots our cliffs.

Here, in the form of trees deep in the throws of an identity crisis, half dead and shedding its leaves, and half alive w reds, yellows, greens and browns trying to keep up. Orange is the colour to me that bridges the gap between what is gone, and what is coming-but in a way that says it IS going to different and new, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing.

Lately, with all this fall and orange, I've been feeling like I waft between two identities. Sometimes, I feel like I get to be the bridge. Much like the cooler weather, that reminds me so much of home, permanently stuck between that perfect cold, but comfortable spot, I can connect people to the view I have of home is the bay area-with all its love, experience and diversity that SF is teeming with. And I can help ppl from home experience the joy of being in a place without so much hustle and bustle, but with its own charm, simplicity, and community, and a feeling of everyone working towards similar common goals.

And then other times, I feel like a ghost-never permanently being in either place, and never really being able to fully commit to planting my own deep roots in the ground. With the unique view of the pitfalls and rose coloured glasses that come off to reveal imperfections in both places and people. Sometimes I feel like I'm shouting to both sides to listen to each other, but no one can hear me bc I don't truly belong to either of them. And it can be a bit frustrating.

But in fall-and with my own little tribe here in my family-and with the roots that I've left stretching both sides in the hands of my people in both places-everything is orange.



Orange pumpkin patches, full of hay rides, corn pits, zip lines, rosy cheeks and pony rides. Orange clouds while we picked all the apples, plums, and pears we could possibly carry. Orange pies and cookies, and ciders that fill our houses with all the best smells. Orange flannel on the various scarecrows we spot on our trips to the scarecrow walk a the botanical gardens here. Spooky orange glowing lights from the pumpkins we've carved while we watch our Arsenic and Old Lace, Hitchcock movies, and Harry Potter stories. Orange leaves from the little decorations we've made together and loved putting up in our little sanctuary of a home. Orange.