Every season has its splendor, but in my opinion, fall in the Ozarks is the most beautiful time of the year. It is a time of reflection of the beauty and blessings we have, a time to be thankful to our Lord for all that we have. Autumn is a time of celebration of life and love. Here are some of the things I love.
#1 The leaves in the fall are brilliant hues of red, orange, yellow, green and brown set on a backdrop of a brilliant, deep blue sky, a feast for the eyes. It is wonderful to walk through the trees in a park or drive out in the country to see the beauty of it all. The carpet of leaves littering the ground makes a pleasant crunching sound as you walk through it.
#2 Fragrant bunches of chrysanthemums are everywhere in bright yellows, oranges, reds, rusts, lavenders, whites and more. They brighten up yards, businesses and anywhere else one might expect to find beauty.
#3 The bright orange pumpkins, colorful squash and ornamental gourds add even more variety to the season. Add to that the aroma of a pumpkin when it is carved into smiling jack o lanterns or the wonderful smell of pumpkin pie baking in the oven for a delight to the senses.
#4 Pumpkin Spice coffee is a treat to be looked forward to each year. There are many pumpkin spice flavored treats, but this one is the best. The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and coffee wafting up in the steam are heavenly.
#5 The excitement of the children preparing for trick or treat time can be infectious. It is a time of imagination, of pretending to be whatever you want to be, just for one evening while gathering as many sweet treats as possible. Teens and adults may get together and have parties, dancing and eating, playing games and enjoying time with friends. Everyone, of every age, who likes sweets will enjoy the abundance of candy everywhere.
#6 The Ozarks is dotted with multiple pumpkin patches, places to look around, choose a pumpkin that's just the right size for you, maybe some fall vegetables and corn stalks, and maybe some fragrant and colorful fall flowers for your home too. These patches are full of smiling people and leave one with lifted spirits and the feeling of being blessed to live in a land of abundance and beauty.
#7 University football games are full of enthusiasm and positive, energetic people. People cheer for their teams while eating stadium foods and chatting with their friends. It is a time of friendship and energy. My favorite part of football is not the game though. I like talking to my friends, feeling the energy of the place and the tailgate parties with all of the fall barbecues and tailgating foods. Another great thing to see and hear is the marching band, playing during the games and performing at half time, usually a quality performance. Of course, the cheerleaders and their performances during the game, are always fun to watch. There are an abundance of sports events.
#8 There are an abundance of apples everywhere in the fall. We have apple pie, apple cider, apple cobbler, pork with apples, applesauce, and candied apples to name a few things. The apples give off a wonderful, fresh fragrance. They are one of many varieties of fall foods that are abundant as they ripen.
#9 Organizations, churches and sometimes schools, will have fall and Christmas bazaars, selling handmade items, baked goods, homemade candies and anything else a person might make. You can buy things here that you cannot buy anywhere else. Everything is original and homemade, nothing is factory made. My favorite person to buy from was a little lady in her 90's who made divinity every year (a kind of candy). Nobody else's divinity tasted quite as good as hers. Another favorite is peanut brittle made by a friend. Over the years, I bought all kinds of wonderful crafts and unique items at these bazaars. Hand in hand with this, churches and other groups may sell meals or home made food to anyone who cares to eat there. It is wonderful!
#10 Fall, in the Ozarks, is a time of festivals. Many towns and organizations put on festivals to celebrate and highlight an item their town or organization is known for. There are festivals to celebrate garlic, apples, pumpkins, local fish, beer, wine, ethnic foods or customs such as German, French, Italian, Japanese, Scottish, British, frontier life or anything else a group or location is known for. Most people have heard of the Oktoberfest, which is only one of many kinds of festivals. Fall is a time to celebrate.
#11 In the fall, many stores will have Open Houses to encourage people to come in and see their newest items for Christmas, Thanksgiving and sometimes even Halloween. These stores will be beautifully decorated, Christmas music will be playing in the background and the fragrances of autumn and Christmas will be in the air. They will have samples of holiday foods for customers to try. It is a treat for the senses.
#12 Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It lacks all the rush, hubbub, pressure and stress of the Christmas holiday. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on our blessings and to remind ourselves of all of the things for which we are thankful. It is a time to enjoy turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and cherry pie with ice cream. Thanksgiving is a time of blessing and abundance whether one eats alone or with a lot of family and friends in a restaurant or in a home. The ones I liked best were the ones when my husband participated in the Turkey Trot, a 10 K race on Thanksgiving morning, then we went out for coffee at Starbucks, then I cooked a meal for our family and friends.
#13 I love to watch the squirrels in the fall. They run and play and go through all kinds of antics to get the food in the bird feeders. It is so peaceful watching them. Along with that, I love feeding the wild birds, primarily cardinals, but also many other kinds. The creatures were so beautiful to watch in our yard as I sat inside and looked out the window.
#14 Fall is the time for elections so there is always a lot to talk about and many ads and debates that range from the serious to the ridiculous. We may not agree with one another, and each one roots for their own favorite candidate, but there is plenty of excitement in the air. There are buttons and banners When we step back and look, we realize how blessed we are to have a part in this process of choosing our candidates, and voting on issues, win or lose. The ladies who are voting officials at our polling place are so friendly. I look forward to greeting them year after year and getting the little sticker that proudly states, "I voted."
#15 Walks in our local Nature Center are peaceful and beautiful, a time to breathe the fresh air and enjoy the beauty of nature. Sometimes, there are deer on the path and they will come within a few feet of me. I love watching them quietly munch on the leaves, filling me with a sense of peace and quieting the soul as I watch these gentle creatures. Sometimes, we see a doe with her fawn. It is rare for one deer to be alone, If you see one, there are always more nearby, hidden in the brush and trees. There are streams and hills, a small lake with turtles sunning themselves and fish jumping. Every once in a while, there will be a flock of wild turkeys near the path. I like the watch the squirrels run around through the leaves and the little chipmunks scampering around. Squirrels make a lot more noise than chipmunks. Birds will be calling overhead, sometimes seeming to be calling out to us as we walk by.
#16 On the first Friday of each month, there is an Art Walk in our city. Many of the local artists will display their work on this evening. There will be a list each month of the artists, and their location, so those who appreciate art can go and look at their work. Some will have snacks and even wine, to offer to those who browse. There may be 20 or more locations in the downtown area where art is displayed, from the whimsical, to the elegant to the jarring. There is something for every taste.
#17 Autumn is a time for baking food, not just pastries and breads, but meats and vegetables and all kinds of things. The aroma of food cooking in the oven makes the mouth water in anticipation. Autumn is a time for baking cookies, pies, cakes, stews, casseroles, roasts, chicken, turkey, apples and so many other things.
#18 Fall is the time when the temperatures are not too hot and not too cold. One feels quite comfortable in early fall in a t shirt and in late fall with a light sweater or sweat shirt. It is a comfortable time. There may be a bit of a chill in the evening, so we turn on the heater and snuggle up in a blanket or quilt.
#19 With schools back in full swing, there are plays and programs, concerts, choirs, theater and entertainment of all sorts. Some are free, many charge a nominal fee to support the group performing. There is an endless variety to choose from.
#20 There will be many free events of all kinds put on by various groups in the community, some I have mentioned, but many more too. There are free movies, programs, lectures, food tastings, classes and on and on. The public library is one of many groups who has programs of all kinds continuously.
#21 There are unlimited opportunities in our community to make a difference in the lives of other people, those who are hungry, poor people, children, the elderly, those struggling with mental illness, addictions, abuse, major and minor health issues and just about anything one can think of. Fall is a time of outpouring of caring for others. There will be animal rescue events, primarily centered on dogs and cats, environmental concerns groups and events (like clean ups), school betterment events and so much more. There will be fundraisers galore for these various groups. Fall is a time when the Ozarks not only realizes how blessed it is, but the people want to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world. It is a time of hope and love for our fellow man and all of God's creation.
#22 Fall is a time of bargains in the stores. Everyone likes to save money when they can to have more in other areas. I loved the numerous coupons and promotions, especially for food.
These are some of the things I love about fall in the Ozarks, pretty much my favorite season of the year. For now, we are living in a place that has none of these things, in another country. While some regions may have a few of these things, like turning leaves, they cannot imagine the generosity or abundance of the people in the Ozarks. They have never experienced such abundant blessings as we see in this part of the USA. They do not have the same holidays or customs or much of anything else that makes fall so beautiful. We are so blessed! Many of the things that make our culture distinctive, loving, caring and generous is our cultural belief in God. It is the Christian basis for the culture which makes it distinctive. Until you leave for a while, it is almost impossible to see it and appreciate it. The world is flocking to America, fighting to get in, for a reason. We are blessed. We are kind.We are generous. We have what others are longing for, and it isn't just money. People from all over the world come to get an education in the USA because we are still the best. If we were not, they would not come. We are abundantly blessed by the Lord. Fall is a time of celebration of that blessing.
