Autumn Musings

"September days have the warmth of summer in their briefer hours, but in their lengthening evenings a prophetic breath of autumn.  The cricket chirps in the noontide, making the most of what remains of his brief life.  The bumblebee is busy among the clover blossoms of the aftermath, and their shrill and dreamy hum hold the outdoor world above the voices of the song birds, now silent or departed.-- From "September Days"  By Rowland E. Robinson,   

Yesterday, I had the most magnificent day.  I sorted through some clothes, straightened out my underwear drawer got rid of the old and put the new items in; once finished, I ordered myself a Chinese feast for lunch. Now, you have to spend $8 for delivery, so I added on a pepsi and some apple strips. I knew it was kind of steamy outdoors, but under the fans and 'in the raw', I felt quite comfortable. After lunch, it was off to the bed to relax and read the new Woman's Day and Family Circle I had bought...just for this occasion.

And as I read the autumn issues, I found myself getting more and more excited as I thought about the many different foods I will be able to add to our menu...once it is cool enough to use the oven again.  In summer, cooking becomes such drudgery; it seems like it is the same foods over and over again.  I hate to cook, but when you can do something different rather than the same old over and over again, and I have gotten so many wonderful recipes to try from your blogs, I cannot wait.  Who knows, you may even find me baking again.  

Yes, it seems like every year Autumn is my new birth; it brings new life into me and makes me feel like there is nothing I cannot do. The cool air is just so cleansing... the wind sweeping through the trees...the brilliance of red, orange, yellow, and green leaves on the trees and the red/orange sunsets reawaken the senses like nothing other.  Everything seems so refreshing as the scorching summer heat fades into the crispness of an autumn morn. It's ironic, each year I find myself anxiously awaiting the summer's warmth, and then, once it is here, I dream about the coming of the season of darkness....waiting for it to come once more.

I love wearing the autumn colors...the browns, the reds, the golds...earthy colors. It's time to transition into long pants and skirts...and Autumn fashion is at its best when accessorized with a scarf....cool enough for layers yet still warm enough for no heavy coat and boots...apple cider, hot chocolate tops with mini marshmallows.  I think the only part of autumn that I dislike is the children returning to school.  Gone will be the quiet mornings on the train, so en rapt in my book that sometimes I almost miss my stop; it its place will be the shrill, screaming voices of the teenagers who appear to make noise just for the sake of disturbing the other riders.  I will be lucky enough to get a seat, let alone read my book. (I love kids, but some New York City teenagers can be pretty obnoxious).

But, all and all, autumn is a special season...that in-betwixt stage between the light and the dark...a season of transition from the broiling temperatures to the icy winds, a season of preparation as the earth hasten's toward its winter's rest...winter with its beautiful snow covered landscapes, and eventually Spring makes its grand entrance with the weather warming up and the rebirth of nature's beauty. Summer marches in next, with gorgeous weather, outdoor activities with family and friends,  and finally, not to be outdone, Autumn waltzes in with its fiery explosion of color and harvest festivals ...the most beautiful time of the year...and as the earth settles down to rest, we humans come alive.

"Come said the wind to
the leaves one day,
Come o're the meadows
and we will play.
Put on your dresses
scarlet and gold,
For summer is gone
and the days grow cold."
-  A Children's Song of the 1880's