Monday, September 28, 2009

The Sweet Smell of September

School,
Effort, and
Play.
Trying your best
Each hour of the day,
Making new friends,
Being good as you can
Exciting discoveries,
Reading books with a friend."
- Boni Fulgham

This is most likely more appropriate at the beginning of the month, rather than the end, but as I was searching for inspiration, it struck me.

I always look forward to September. For me, rather than January 1, it has always seemed to be the true start of the year. Probably from associations with school. The death of summer, the start of a new school year. Tom Hanks said it well in “You’ve Got Mail” when he spoke of newly sharpened pencils. I also like to buy a candle in the scent of MacIntosh Apple for September.

For us here in the Far North, September brings leaves of red and gold and the smell of decay. You can smell the mustiness of leaves and mushrooms and the crispness of snow in the air. It’s a month of change. Flip flops are replaced by racks of snow suits in the stores. Boots and slippers go on sale. Sweaters take over the clothing racks and snow shovels push aside the grills and patio umbrellas. Halloween will be on the shelves if not this week, next for sure.

This week I’ll dig up my summer garden of weeds and scatter Arctic Lupine and Shasta Daisy seeds hoping come spring I’ll have an instant garden. Well, almost instant garden. The lemon thyme and Johnny Jump-ups should come back next year and I’ll start my Sweetpeas come March. I’ll also buy my pansy and petunia starts much, much sooner.

So until my garden can grow outside once more (inside my tomatoes are ripening one by one!) I’ll look to the last line of the poem above – Reading Books With a Friend – or three. And writing. Yeah, it’s a good time of year to hunker down and spend my time reading and writing.

What do you like about Fall? I’d love to see recipes, hear about rituals, and even see what you’ve got on your TBR pile. What makes Fall great for you?

Morgan Q. O'Reilly
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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I never thought about the school/fall/ first of the year connection. Makes sense though, I also 'end' my year in Sept. Perhaps my putting the garden to bed has something to do with it, too.

Juniper Bell said...

Love your post, but flip-flops? In Alaska? I guess I'm still working up to that. ;)

Lynn Lovegreen said...

Fall is great for lots of things, including seasonal cooking. Rhubarb and berries give way to apples and pumpkins. My recipes for soups and chili come out again. I love all the rich, hearty food that keeps you warm.
Plus, it's a perfect time to curl up with a good book on a rainy night! There's so much to like in this season.

Boone Brux said...

Oh, you touched a soft spot in my heart. The death of summer hit me hard this year, but I love fall. Winter not so much. Well, maybe up until New Year's, then I want it to be spring. Maybe as the evenings cool, Jitters will become beareable.

Boone