Autumn
“There
is harmony in autumn, and a luster in the sky, which through the
summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not
been.”
Percy
Bysshe Shelley
I
wonder if, like me, you check the thermostat every morning to see
whether the temperature is low enough to signal autumn's arrival.
There's a certain nip to the air that lets one know. It's more than
cool, it has an edge to it that is an unmistakable herald—winter is
just around the corner. We aren't there yet in Alabama, but it's
coming, I know it is.
Autumn
is my favorite time of year. I love the colors, but more than that,
there is something close and personal about the season that appeals
to me. Perhaps, because fall presents the opportunity to go outside in comfort any time of day, maybe because I love the long sleeves,
knits and jeans that feel so good. I remember wrapping up in a
blanket with my boyfriend at the Friday night football games in high
school, eating corn-dogs at the state fair, and gasping at the
harvest moon, so huge as to be unbelievable even though I'd seen it
every autumn of my life.
For
years in autumn, I've headed to the mountains like a migrating bird.
I used to hate the “blue-hairs” from Florida, who drove through
the gorges on roads too narrow and curvy for passing, like snails on
a morning outing. Now, I'm the one who has to pull over every couple
of miles to allow the angry truckers and busloads of crazy rafters to
pass me, signaling their disgust with raised fingers and fists. No
manners, these young folks!
Autumn
is the season for laying to rest the summer's chores. Clearing out
the garden of half-dead tomato plants and spent roses, pruning and
re-potting house plants to bring them inside, and planting a patch of
greens and broccoli, if you live in the South. Lake dwellers will
pull in the boats and hoist them into winter berths, bring the
floating docks to shore and tie them down.
At
my book group on Tuesday night, our hostess, Kate, served a
scrumptious Pumpkin Cobbler, which was the perfect dessert to usher
in autumn. It will be on my Thanksgiving table this year. Here's the
recipe:
3
eggs beaten
15-16
oz. Can of Pumpkin
12
oz. Of evaporated milk
1
cup of sugar
dash
of salt
1½
teaspoons cinnamon
1
teaspoon ginger
1
tablespoon vanilla
Topping:
1
81/4 ounce package of yellow cake mix
1
cup of butter, melted
1
cup of chopped nuts
Mix
together first 8 ingredients, pour into 9” x 13” baking dish.
Sprinkle cake mix over top. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake at 350
for 30 minutes, sprinkle nuts on top and bake for 30 more. Serve with
whipped cream. (Serves 15-18)
Send
Kate some good vibes while you're enjoying this yummy dish. Hope you
are as excited as I am about autumn.
In
the spirit,
Jane
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