The Fragrance of Fall

Fall is quickly approaching; it begins on Sunday, September 22nd. Most of us will welcome the cooler temperatures, children returning to school, and only a few months before all the holidays are upon us.

For me, Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. Nostalgia is present--excitement happening, new school year, rustling leaves turning, craft fairs, football season starting, and birds beginning their migration south. A captivating palate of yellows, gold, oranges, and browns enlighten our tables. Sunflowers dance in vases. Pumpkin recipes, s’mores, and hayrides fill our minds.

Here are a few autumn quotes I found to share with you.

• Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons – Jim Bishop

• Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower – Albert Camus

• Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree – Emily Brontë

• As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas, and colours enough to paint the beautiful things I see – Vincent Van Gogh

With nights growing longer, the coziness of home with soft throw blankets, our pets by our side or in our laps, and hot chocolate steaming from a mug seems to call our name.

A few cozy movies to watch this Fall are:

1. Mystic Pizza – Julia Roberts (1988)
2. Remember the Titans – Denzel Washington (2000)
3. Practical Magic – Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman (1998)
4. When Harry Met Sally – Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal (1989)
5. Sweet Home Alabama – Reese Witherspoon (2002)
6. Rushmore – Bill Murray (1998)
7. Hocus Pocus – (1993)
8. Elmo’s Fire – (1985)

I also found a few historical facts that might be new to you:

1. Bobbing for apples came from the U.K. and was actually a dating technique. The girls would write their names on the apples.  The boys would bob for the apple and the name on the apple is who they would go out on a date with.
2. Candy corn was originally called “chicken feed.” In 1898, the Goelitz Candy Company found the recipe and marketed it as “chicken feed.”
3. According to the Smithsonian, Swanson salesman Gerry Thomas had the idea for frozen dinners in 1953 after seeing “260 tons of frozen turkey left over after Thanksgiving, sitting in ten refrigerated railroad cars.”
4. The 1962 song “Monster Mash” was No. 1 on American Billboards but reached the U.K. in 1973 because it was banned because “the BBC failed to see the funny side” to lyrics like “it was a graveyard smash” as “too morbid.”
5. Early pumpkin pie crust was the actual hollowed-out crust.
6. The Celts, now Ireland, used to dress up like evil spirits for their end-of-year celebration on November 1st. According to Smithsonian magazine, this transition was held to fool the actual demons into leaving the living Celts alone.

Celebrations of any kind can be special. Always take great care when trick-or-treating with small children.

Happy Hallow’s Eve!

Best regards,

Julie