Fall Pursuits

I think that every season has its deep, primordial influence over my psyche. Now that our practically non-existent summer has passed along, Fall has been creeping up on us. Some mornings are just a bit dull with a blanket of changeless grey sky spreading its colourlessness over the grey streets and grey stone buildings of town; other mornings are absolutely magical with a cold blue sky, bright sunshine, and a scent of frost lacing the air. These rare mornings stir in me a deep longing to go for a tramp through the woods, savouring every bit of the beauty of a forest in Autumn (unfortunately, the two mornings so far that have been such, I was working in the cafe!).

On Tuesday mornings when I walk Aria and Kiera the twenty minutes down George Street to go to nursery, I see both school children and university students making their way to their respective places of study and the influence that was built in me through years of heading off to school come Fall, comes rushing back. It’s shocking to feel almost mad impulses to take myself to some college or university to learn something at least!

Perhaps a less man-made influence that Fall has over me is the feeling of needing to store up and bake things– especially appley things or soups or anything that involves a pumpkin. Animals have this instinct and at times I’ve wondered if it lies deep in us human beings as well. I think that it must because back in the day people would have had to store away things in the Fall to be able to survive the winter. This still happens, yes, but I think that the majority of us (in the western world, at least) are unaware of it. We just tromp off (or drive) to the grocery store and get whatever our little hearts desire. But perhaps even those so far removed from the gathering and storing of food feel that small twinge in the Fall of preparing for winter.

Anyway, I’ve been letting Fall influence me and have found myself baking again after doing practically nothing all summer long. I’ve been perusing my soup book and making such concoctions as cheesy cauliflower and red lentil/coconut…mmm! I made brownies last week; today I peeled and cored seventeen apples to make up a pot of apple sauce; tomorrow I think I’ll make granola. Let Fall come and I’ll embrace her whole-heartedly. Her time with us is so fleeting that I feel that I must drink as deeply of her delights as I can.

This entry was posted on Friday, September 12th, 2008 at 10:46 am and is filed under Rachel's Musings, Reflections & Musings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.