I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a fan of winter and fall. So, while the fall colors are beautiful they signify that winter is coming soon. I love spring, the rains, the muddy earth and especially the first green shoots poking their heads out of the ground. When my daffodils and lilacs bloom I know for sure that spring is in full form.
Now, with Labor Day on our doorstep, everyone is saying that summer is over, done and dusted and kaput until next year. I say, BALONEY! Summer, for me, isn’t over until I see the leaves falling and I can smell winter in the air. Yes, one can really smell the seasons. Spring smells of rain, the earth and of summer’s promise. Summer smells of new mown grass, cookout fires and the sun’s warmth. Fall smells like golden leaves, a hint of winter’s chill and the last of the harvest. Winter smells of the north winds, soups and stews and Christmas goodies.
So, Labor Day isn’t the end of summer until I can smell those fall leaves and I see the containers of frozen jams and veggies in my freezer and when I start going through the recipes for soups and stews on a chilly day. Summer goes on through September and we do get Indian summer days well into October. Don’t put the shorts, sandals and tank tops away just yet, summer is still alive and well.
