Poet James Whitcomb Riley captured the essence of fall in his poem "When the Frost is on the Pumpkin." With his colloquialisms, bad grammar and simple text he gives a rhythm to his poem similar to the pulse of fall.

It's autumn, the best time of the year. The air is crisp and clear. The colors burst all around in bold vibrant colors. Food tastes better and smells smell better. There is freshness, a sense of anticipation that begins in September and leads up to December.

Several milestones occurred in my life in the fall. My daughters were born in late October, as was my grandson, Matt. My granddaughter, Riley came in mid- November two years ago. My husband and I were married in October on the Bean Blossom Covered Bridge in Brown County. It's Halloween then Thanksgiving. And, fall leads into the start of the Christmas season. The rest of the year seems humdrum in comparison.

There are festivals everywhere including the "big" one in Parke County. There is also a four-day festival in my hometown of Greenfield in honor of James Whitcomb Riley who was born on October 7, 1849. At the start of the festival children from all the local schools walk downtown and place flowers around the statue of Riley on the courthouse square.

The poet was born in a log cabin in Greenfield, which is located about 20 miles east of Indiana. Riley lived there for 25 years before moving to Lockerbie Square in Indianapolis. He bought back the home he grew up in 18 years after his father sold it. Although he was living in Lockerbie Square he kept his childhood home. The city of Greenfield bought it in the early 1900's. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

While Riley is not a well-known poet outside of Indiana, to those of us growing up in Greenfield he was a figure to admire. He wrote more than 1,000 poems before he died in 1916.

There is magic in his childhood home. Annabel, Clarabell, Glory, Bestybell and Florabell are names of the fairies that live on the stairs. They were named by the Riley's hired girl Mary Alice Smith (lil orphant Annie).

Smith told the child Riley he would be a great poet someday. She also told Riley and his three siblings "the goblins will get you if you don't watch out."

Mary Alice, or Allie, as the family called her, worked for room and board at the house until 1868, when she married John Wesley Gray, and moved to Gray's farm four miles west of town.

The names of those fairies also helped the Riley family later track down Mary Alice. In 1920, a nephew of the poet took out a newspaper ad looking for her. Several women showed up. But only one, at age 74, knew the names of the steps.

The poem "Little Orphant Annie" was initially printed in the" Indianapolis Journal" on Nov. 15, 1885, as "The Elf Child." When Riley decided to publish it in a book, he changed the title to "Little Orphant Allie," in recognition of Mary Alice "Allie" Smith Gray. But a typesetting error turned Allie into Annie.

Riley contacted the publisher about a correction, but decided to let the typo stay because the book was selling so well.

"Allie" was in her 70s before she realized the poem was about her.

Riley died in 1916 and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis. There are several other famous Hoosiers, including President Benjamin Harrison, Col. Eli Lilly, author Booth Tarkington and bank robber John Dillinger, plus 11 Indiana governors, 14 Indiana mayors and 13 Civil War generals.

Riley rises above them all, buried in a pillared tomb on "The Crown," one of the highest hills (842.21 ft.) in Marion County. It is a beautiful spot especially in fall. If you decide to visit Riley at Crown Hill or at his childhood home in Greenfield, don't go after dark and remember . . ."You better mind yer parunts, an' yer teachurs fond an' dear, An' churish them 'at loves you, an' dry the orphant's tear,

An' he'p the pore an' needy ones 'at clusters all about, Er the Gobble-uns 'll git you, Ef you Don't Watch Out."