Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
~ George Eliot
Delicious quote! I know it’s not officially autumn for another six days, but the past two days have been gloriously chilly and blue-grey! The seasonal change bug has been biting me for two weeks, but it was too warm to think about getting out the winter clothes and unpacking the blankets.
But a lover is impatient for any sign of the beloved and any change to be with him. And I love Autumn ~ absolutely everything about this season thrills me from the folds of my perky cranberry scarf to the tips of my chocolate toned boots. So today’s Top Five Friday is all about Autumn!
The Colours – I don’t care what the fashion mags say, the fall colours that are always in for me are the rich, velvety hues that nature puts on: cranberry red, chocolate brown, squash yellow, pumpkin orange, midnight blue, pine green, and plum. Dressed in those colours, you’ll look good enough to eat!
The Tastes – Speaking of eating, the orchard is simply bursting with plump, beautiful apples and luscious pears [minus any chemicals, pesticides or anything else unnatural of course!] that just ache to be baked! Hot apple cider, fried apple fritters, fresh made cinnamon doughnuts. But the star of the autumnal table is the pumpkin. I think I’ve tried that lovely squash in every manner possible: custard, bread, pudding, chili [oh yes!], soup, fried, rolled, and of course, the ever traditional pie.
The Scents – With all that baking, frying and cooking going on, it’s easy to see why no scent says home and hearth and love like the scent of apples, cinnamon, vanilla, and ginger. A close second [or fifth as the case may be!] is the smell of brandy and spiced rum. Perhaps it has something to do with childhood memories of fun times spent baking in the kitchen with Mom, but just inhaling these earthy scents infuse me with calm and joy and a sense that no matter how strong the wind may blow, all is safe and cozy inside.
The Textures – Interestingly enough, another scent that I love in autumn is soot. Once you’ve eaten all that pie and imbibed all that apple cider, you need to take a nap! Preferably by a happily blazing fire and wrapped up in a soft and nubbly[1] blanket ~ cranberry-coloured of course. Or perhaps a brisk walk would be better after all those calories. The chilly evening air is crisp and invigorating, and easier to appreciate when you’re dressed in a soft cashmere sweater and a scratchy wool coat. This isn’t exercise ~ this is bliss!
The Music – The best place for an evening walk in the Fall is in the country. Nature puts on quite a symphony as daylight shrinks: the crunch of fallen leaves under your feet; the farewell songs of the summer birds as they head south; the honking of the Canada geese as they fly in from the north; the gentle thud of apples falling in the orchard; the crackling of a bonfire; the wind rustling through a corn maze.
Are the nights slightly colder where you are? What are your favorite things about autumn?
Oremus pro invicem,
~ Mikaela
No comments:
Post a Comment