Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Signs of Fall

I recently blogged about one sign of fall: New TV. But what are the other signs of fall that I welcome every year?
Here are a few.
  1. Soup. It's finally cool enough to make soup in my kitchen without dying. And it's cool enough to appreciate the warming effects. On the menu for this weekend: some chili perhaps?
  2. Sweaters. One of my favorite rituals as a child was finding the great barrels (cardboard, probably from U-Haul) that we stowed our winter wear in. As a child, it was like shopping, because what had belonged to my sister the year before was now mine. I remember specifically when I unearthed an "Organic" (remember that brand?) corduroy skirt that had belonged to my oldest sister that finally fit me. It was soft and brown. I loved that skirt! Now I only get to unpack the stuff from last winter that was mine and is mine still. But it is somewhat like shopping, because after six months, I've forgotten what's in there. My love of sweaters also explains why I will never live in Phoenix.
  3. Leaves. This year (maybe it's this way every year) it seemed like the trees on my street changed over night. One day green, yellow or red the next. I love leaves and have since I went to school in Oregon. There were so many beautiful colors in the fall. It's the same here. I love the intense yellows appearing all over. I collect the leaves with Son and press them in the Dictionary or the Riverside Shakespeare. I vow we will make some beautiful art project with these leaves. So far? A dictionary full of leaves.
  4. Pumpkins. I love pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie. I love seeing a huge pile of pumpkins outside every grocery store. My love of pumpkins goes beyond Halloween. I especially love to visit Pumpkin Patches and pick my own. Sadly, this tradition seems to be disappearing. Son's school was recently deciding if the class should take a field trip to the Pumpkin Patch. I was one of the parents who raised her hand to say, yes, I want to go and I want Son to go. I love the crisp air and the tractors and the hayrides. I also love the hot cider.
  5. Fall Break. We never had one when I was in school. Or if we did, it was called "Potato Harvest." Even if I don't leave town, or I only get 50 miles away, it's a break.
  6. Baked Potatoes for dinner. See #5.
  7. Even though I don't watch football or follow football, I do have a certain nostalgic love for the outdoor sporting event. The crisp air, the sweaters. Do they still have bonfires? Probably not. They seemed unsafe, even when I was in high school. But they were fun.

What are your favorite signs of fall?

10 comments:

ErinAlice said...

Well I too love sweaters but since I DO live in Phoenix only get to wear one when we go up North but it is a small sacrifice for me to not have to deal with winter...I also love pumpkins (pie,seeds etc) being in AZ my new favorite thing about fall is double digit temperatures..

Clint Gardner said...

My mom and I used to do the same thing with leaves and flowers in the giant dictionary she had. When she died, I openned it up and a veritable bouquet of 20-year-old pressed leaves and flowers were there. That's when it hit me hardest.

Dr. Write said...

That's a beautiful memory, theorris. I think I'll write a poem about it.

Nik said...

We also had baked potatoes for dinner. And soup! Corn chowder. Fall is a fine season.

Lisa B. said...

the quality of the light and air.

ErinAlice said...

Okay my daughters are desperately trying to find the changing leaves around here. I am going to have to take them some place that has seasons. They know it's fall and with fall comes the changing colors. Too bad cactus don't change colors! (or is it cacti??)

Condiment said...

I bought three more sweaters the other day. Why? I love sweaters. Can I wear them here? Not really. It was so out of control that I had to embark on Sweater Organization Project (SOP) to figure it all out. The tally? I have fifteen sweaters (about 12 cool sweaters and 3 not-so-cool) but I only go out with a sweater on about four times a year. Hm.

Valerie said...

I am a true fan of fall. Through and through. Some exceptions:

Finding socks.
Finding socks that match.
Finding socks that match eachother.
Finding socks that match for my kids.

Counterintuitive said...

You can combine two of your signs: pumpkin soup. A woman in our neighborhood from Australia (which may or may not have any importance to the soup) shared with us an amazingly tasty, slightly spicy pumpkin soup.

My favorite sign: harvesting fruit, and vegies and then canning it. I still remember cranking the tomatoe juicer for my grandma Christy (short for christiansen): crisper air, smoky leaf and walnut fire, 60 something grandma bustling around. I sure miss her.

Lisa B. said...

When I was in Wyo., I made a pumpkin flan for dessert at a fiesta! It was divine. Let me know if this is up your alley, and I will supply a recipe.