Saturday, October 3, 2009

Fall In Bloom



A backyard fire pit, snappy sparks, red lit, flying. Moonlight whispering through trees, grass, skin, eyes, oh the eyes we love, sending silent messages bigger than a Texas sky. Leaves turned cinnamon and amber, quivering and curling on limbs like tiny, arthritic hands. More eyes, laser sharp, peering through woods, raccoons or possums or skunks, perhaps, noses rising in tribute to lowly hot-dogs, sizzling and blistering on sticks. And a Cherokee fiddle. Might be all that’s missing, but no, night composes its own music.

Fall nights like these are a dozen a dime, but won’t last forever. Here in Texas we’ve only recently stepped out from hot summer shells. Four long months of broiling and we’re cooked. Ready for frosting, the frost on the pumpkin, fall frost. Time to snap out blankets, throw them on the ground, lie on backs, and wonder with dreamy eyes at the heavens, spitting out stars, swirling planets, strobe-like, suspended. I count each twinkle, never knowing how many, many, many stars, knowing never. Nights like these are a dozen a dime, but won’t last forever.

This time of year brings me back to long ago hay rides, fuzzy sweaters, snuggling, cutting through a black Mark Twain National Forest, dirt from roads settling in our hair, our smiles, carrying us right through the hard flinty winter when reflection sets in corners like mute guests.

Camp-outs too, dancing under a moon stuffed with promise, breeze in hair. And strolling beside a tinseled river with the girls, making up crap that scares them silly. And then pulled from the tent later, dead asleep, they say, “Come on, mom, come and tell stories. Our friends haven’t heard them. Oh please! We want to hear them again.”

So I do. Spin tale after tale, sleepy-eyed yet happy that ears listen.

I remember barn dances, doing the two-step, feet moving like hot grease on the griddle of floor. Pumpkin carving too, cinnamon sprinkled under the lids, spicing up night. The kids and friends jammed into our house, costumed to high heaven, watching Charlie Brown, a blanket of candy on the floor, and still trick-or-treaters banging down the door. Wanting more. And, yes, this yet goes on.

Fall in bloom.

What are your fall favorites?

20 comments:

  1. I love autumn. I love just to walk and walk and walk in the cool air. No harsh sunlight to blind me. The leaves on the ground make me meditative and I remember, like you say, that nothing lasts forever.

    Jai

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  2. When the temperature drops enough that you need to snuggle in...that's the best! Sweater weather rocks! The nearby orchard has a bountiful harvest of apples this year too. Gotta love apple cider in October.

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  3. Ah,walking,Jai! Tis the best this time of year. Leaves crunching underfoot. Although nothing lasts forever, it seems like you could walk forever in the cool air.

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  4. Oh, that apple orchard sounds amazing! When we lived in Missouri, we'd go to the apple fest every year and I loved trying different varieties of apples and sipping on cider. Of course, all while wearing that fuzzy sweater.

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  5. Strangely, I like to rake leaves. One of my memories of doing so, was when one of my kids was about five months old. I snuggled her up and put her on my back in one of those carriers (can't remember exactly what they are called) and raked away; the motion must have been quite an enjoyable ride for her.

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  6. I can just picture that Anita-your little bambino secured on your back while you raked leaves. How sweet.

    Always enjoyed that myself, and loved to burn leaves also, but that was when I lived in the country. They won't let me do that here...whaa!

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  7. Up here in the mountains, we just got about 8 inches of snow, so it already feels like winter. I'm hoping that after it melts, we'll still have some beautiful fall colors on the trees. That's the thing I love most about fall - the trees. Jogging, walking, or even driving, I find myself constantly amazed by and grateful for their tremendous splendor.

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  8. Snow on the mountains! Wow, guess it would feel like winter there. I do miss the snow. Texas is not notorious for it. We had some flurries here last year, and you would have thought it was a snowstorm.Everyone was wandering around outside, taking pictures.

    I do hope you do get some color on the trees, Yvette. The visual, the crunching underfoot, so outstanding.

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  9. This is so weird. Again my comment from Sunday is gone. It was really good to but I can't remember exactly. Just some blah, blah, blah about how the fall dew makes the withered plant smell rise and dance with the first smoke of wood fires. I'm glad I keep coming back to check. Nice memories.

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  10. Leaves and the smell of bonfires. Kate x

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  11. Me too, Rhonda Lou, re: glad you came back to check. That's strange, your comments disappearing like that, but I'm glad you left this one.

    Your description is lovely. I can see that plant dancing!

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  12. Thanks, Kate. It appears we love the same things!

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  13. Oh Dorraine,...thanks for the beautiful description! Homegrown in Western PA, but transfered to New Mexico, I so miss my colorful foliage! Thankfully, my family and I will be relocating back to the Eastern part of PA in a matter of weeks! I hope I get to see just a snippet of the fall I grew up with. But to answer the question,...my favorite memory & what I still do every year, is make mulled apple cider over the fire (adding a "touch" of burbon for the adults)and sticking a cinnamon stick in a big mug....It's SOOOO GOOOD!
    Jennifer

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  14. I so hope you do get to see that foliage, Jennifer! Once you get there, celebrate with that apple cider. Sounds yum!I'm glad you're happy about the move. Are you ready for the cold winters?

    I love a change of seasons, which isn't very distinctive here in south Texas. The post was more a reflection on my Missouri days, although we do get some turn of the leaves, eventually.

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  15. We too had an unusual long summer here in Germany. I felt it would never end - fortunately, it did. My brain cooled down a bit and slowly I'm getting back to using it :p
    Nice Halloween picture decorating this blog entry btw :)

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  16. Oh, I'm so sorry you can relate to long, hot summers, Andi. Even though they happen every year here, I never get used to the heat.

    I'm glad you're back to writing now. Keep the cool momentum flowing!

    Oh, you just reminded me I need to pick up some pumpkins to carve very soon. Thanks, and glad you enjoyed the pic.

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  17. The colors in nature, the smell of leaves burning, LSU football and tail gating, different fruits and veggies being available, a little break from the sauna climate!

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  18. Dorraine,

    My fall favorites are simple, cool fresh air, pretty gold and red leaves and the peace they all bring. I also love the big, bright stars twinkling in that deep, dark blue Texas sky. Fall is the best time of the whole year.

    Elizabeth

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  19. Fall is my favorite also, but then I love Spring too. Yes, to those Texas stars. The stars at night, are big and bright...clap, clap, clap...deep in the heart of Texas. For sure!

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