It was a cool October morning, and the wind blew gently through the garden. Tom put on his coat and zipped up his jacket before stepping outside. The autumn air felt fresh, but a little cold on his cheeks.
The tree at the end of the garden had turned gold and brown. Every leaf was falling slowly to the ground. Tom picked up one leaf and held it in his hand. “It’s autumn now,” he thought, “and there’s so much to do.”
In the front garden, Dad was holding a rake. “Let’s make a big pile of leaves,” Dad said. The wind blew more leaves down from the trees, making their work harder. They laughed as the pile grew taller.
Suddenly, dark clouds covered the sky and light rain began to fall. “Better hurry,” said Dad. They both worked quickly with the rake to finish before the rain became heavy.
After they finished, Tom went to check the vegetable patch. There, he saw a big orange pumpkin ready to be picked. “We can make pumpkin soup!” he shouted. Beside it, the apple tree had red apples hanging from the branches. He picked two apples and put them in his basket.
Near the oak tree, a squirrel was busy carrying an acorn. It dropped one acorn and ran back for another. Tom smiled. He knew squirrels liked nuts, and soon they would store many nuts for winter. He found a shiny brown nut himself and put it in his pocket.
Later, Tom and Dad went inside. They took off their coats and jackets, then sat down with hot chocolate. The cold outside made the warm drink taste even better. Through the window, they watched the wind shake the trees, making more leaves fall.
In the evening, the rain stopped, and they went out for a short walk. The ground was covered with brown and golden leaves. Tom found another big pumpkin at the neighbour’s gate and waved to Mrs. Green, who was wearing a bright red coat. She gave him an apple and said, “Happy autumn!”
When they came home, Tom placed his acorn and nut on the windowsill. He looked at the tree outside, almost bare now. The cool breeze came again, and more leaves began to fall.
It had been a busy and happy day, full of the sights, sounds, and smells of autumn—the pumpkin in the garden, the apples in the basket, the wind in the trees, and the soft rain on the roof. Tom was ready for more days like this before winter came.
