Changing my gears

Photo: Contributed

Martin Eager, The Leaf Charmer, 2d_fantasy 

I have now unpacked my wool sweaters and long pants and tucked away the flip flops and flimsy sun dresses.

The tender plants in the garden have been brought in or covered with mulch and the patio chairs are stacked up. And with most of the lettuce gone from the garden, I don’t seem to feel like salad any more.

Rather, the tomatoes are being used for spaghetti sauce and broth for lamb stew that we can linger over as the evening cools off.

As fall arrives, there is always a melancholy at leaving summer behind, but then once it heads into full gear it seems that the crispness in the air and the changing colours bring a new outlook.

With the change in the clocks, I always feel my internal gears changing too; I am mindful of trying to go with the flow of the change and not have those gears lock up.

I enjoy the golden light of autumn that seems to make us all a bit more nostalgic, and I love the comfort food that graces the table again as we gather round with friends to catch up on old news.

The changing of gears when the seasons change is a natural part of life’s process, and letting it happen to you can be very cleansing.

Here is your checklist to ensure you get the most out of this new season. A sort of tune-up if you will, to make certain the machine is working well and the gears do not grind as you move from one to the other…

• Take a walk through a vineyard or orchard, or to a hilltop where you can enjoy the view
• Watch a sunset and a moonrise (preferably with someone so you can make the most of the romance in the moment. Just so you know, dogs count as suitable companions.)
• Bite into an apple right from a fruit stand or market stall — listen to the crisp crunch of the skin and taste the flavours of a fall day
• If you have kids, take them to the back yard or a park with lots of leaves and jump in a pile. (If you don’t have kids and can’t “borrow” any, just blame it on the fresh air going to your head. One important note though: make sure those leaves aren’t soggy.)
• Savour a stew or a pot pie for dinner, and follow it with a comfy homemade dessert like bread pudding.
• Enjoy the company of good friends and toast their health – if you feel ambitious, you can even start up a gourmet club and have everyone host evenings in a round-robin format (it doesn’t have to be dinner and could even be pot luck to accommodate today’s busy schedules)

This weekend, Martin and I will be doing all of those things, so we will toast your health.

Here’s wishing you many happy moments in that golden light and a good start to the coming winter when we will shift gears again.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.