So, Autumn, What say You?

At a certain point in the year I sometimes feel like time speeds up and we end up on a rickety roller coaster ride for the last three months. Autumn is here and we’re supposed to expect leaves falling, days getting colder and darker, birds to migrate, small mammals to finish hoarding nuts, bears to complete their gorging and get ready to hibernate – but the reality in some states is that there are hardly any signs that make October any different from the preceding months. What if we only notice seasonal changes via the Fall line-up of TV shows, or via which sports are being played or because of silly daylight savings? This week we’ll share how we get ready for Autumn and the rapid approach of the denouement of 2014.

As a non-TV watcher and non-follower of conventional sports I’m left to my own devices to gear up for fall. And as we’re still in high 80s up to mid 90 degree weather you’ll pardon me if don’t break out the mittens and hot chocolate just yet. I took a walk yesterday to see if there were indeed any trees dropping colourful leaves and there were a few – all of them east coast transplants desperate to complete their seasonal cycle, while the native trees stay green. I’ll see the same squirrels and birds year round, and the raccoons and skunks and deer will still trundle around the streets at night.

Autumn is heralded in these parts by the pumpkin, it even gets a festival with folks getting their picture taken sitting on large versions. And when you take a look around shop windows there are glittered gourds, along with fake autumn leaves and cheesy halloween decorations. But for me the seasonal change is only fully embraced when I’m able to pack away tanks, tees and shorts in favour of scarves, boots and hoodies – and that’s not going to happen for at least 6 weeks, less if I’m lucky. For now I’ll keep running early to beat the heat, patting roses as I go, and hey maybe I’ll search for a recipe to use these winter squashes as I buckle in for this crazy ride of celebratory madness that is this thing we call Fall.

[Img.Src: pumpkin]