Planting Seeds
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
This is one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite books, “Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery. In the book, Anne makes the comment while carrying maple tree branches and leaves into the house as she plans to decorate her room with them.
Like Anne, I always decorate for fall. I have at least 10 ceramic pumpkins on my office’s windowsill, a few decorative signs, and a homemade wreath I made from clothespins.
I’m also glad I live in a world with Octobers for many reasons: cooling temperatures, no mosquitoes or humidity, the leaves changing colors, the crisp fall air, apples and pumpkins, and all of the fun and festivities of Halloween. I’m happy that I can finally wear knee-length boots and warm scarves while sipping on a pumpkin spice latte and baking apple bread.
Many of the joys of fall are tied to the harvest, but we rarely make time to celebrate the agricultural ties to the season. Apples come from orchards, pumpkins come from patches, dried corn stalks, hay, and straw come from fields.
One of my favorite memories of fall was an unexpected surprise. My mom picked me and my cousin up from elementary school one warm autumn day. Living in the country, getting picked up by car at school never happened because we always rode the school bus home. Piling into the car, we asked where we were going, but we were told it was a surprise.
That surprise turned out to be Honey Hill Orchard in Waterman, where we were able to pick our own berries, apples, and a pumpkin to take home and decorate. My mom also bought us apple cider doughnuts and apple cider. When we returned home, we decorated our pumpkins with permanent markers and placed them outside our front door. By drawing on the pumpkins instead of carving them, our pumpkins remained fresh and lasted until Thanksgiving.
The trip wasn’t expensive or extravagant, but what I remember the most about that day was the fun we had together as a family. We enjoyed a sunny, warm fall afternoon out on the farm, strolling through rows of apple trees and acres of pumpkins. Thinking back to that day reminds me why I love autumn and why I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.
I’d love to hear your favorite fall memories! Email me to tell a tale or share a photo at [email protected].