Fall is my favorite season. It is a time for tucking in, getting to work, and gathering together. Many cultures and religions have a time of reflection and celebration akin to the New Year holiday and this resonates with me in fall. Maybe it is because I can finally function again with cooler temperatures, or maybe because I am reconnected with nature, but I feel inspired and energized as soon as fall arrives.
Coffee tastes best on a cool crisp morning. The days finally have a rhythm to them, starting off chilly, warming in the afternoon, and cooling back down at night. It is a gift to sit outside, or go on meandering walks while listening to the trees.
My five senses are fully engaged in fall. I am aware of the distinct way sound carries in the cool air with that slight echo. I clearly hear the crisp sound of leaves crunching underfoot. The snick of the match to light a candle combines with my sense of smell most keenly when lighting a jack-o’-lantern. And my hearing is tuned in to the call of owls just after day turns to dusk.
Fall brings a cornucopia of flavors. I love the tart tastes of apples, pomegranates, and cranberries. Pumpkins and other squash can be sweet or savory,
a rich variety. Soups and stews are packed with complex flavors and nutrients stored up from the summer. This is the time of year when vegetables
really shine.
Fall is a feast for the eyes. The sky is a vivid blue against the complementary colors of fall leaves. The warm reds, oranges, browns, and yellows are both energizing and nurturing. The glow of a fall leaf lit by the sun makes me feel fully alive. It is a life lesson in staying in the present moment. I appreciate nature’s design in pumpkins, leaves, and acorns.
The richness of smell is most present in fall. Scents of cinnamon, fallen leaves, wood smoke, or something simmering on the stove make me feel connected to an ancient energy that can’t be destroyed by current rhetoric. Nature will always be there.
The sense of touch is alive in fall too. Working again in the garden, picking up fall leaves and pine cones, baking, using my hands for projects all revive my sense of touch. The feel of long sleeves and layers being added or removed define time in a tactile, organic way.
Every season has a gift, and fall’s gift is a time of renewal for all five senses.