I love fall, even if I'm not quite sure when to celebrate its arrival.
Does fall begin when school begins? Here in New Mexico, that would move fall to the middle of August.
Is fall when supermarkets begin roasting green chili in their parking lots at the end of August? After Labor Day, even though it's still in the 90s in the afternoon? When the State Fair begins or ends? On the Autumnal Equinox, which was always on September 21 when I was a kid but has mysteriously slipped to a different day? In early October, when the International Balloon Fiesta comes to town and the sky fills with a riot of noise and color? Or the middle of October, when the air finally cools down and the aspens turn golden?
Does fall begin when school begins? Here in New Mexico, that would move fall to the middle of August.
Is fall when supermarkets begin roasting green chili in their parking lots at the end of August? After Labor Day, even though it's still in the 90s in the afternoon? When the State Fair begins or ends? On the Autumnal Equinox, which was always on September 21 when I was a kid but has mysteriously slipped to a different day? In early October, when the International Balloon Fiesta comes to town and the sky fills with a riot of noise and color? Or the middle of October, when the air finally cools down and the aspens turn golden?
You may commemorate the change of seasons by putting out a wreath made with orange and yellow leaves, or setting up a scarecrow and pumpkin by your front door, but I restack my plates.
This is a fairly new tradition for me. When my kids were little, everyone in the house had dibs on a different colored plate. This was convenient, because I could at a glance figure out who'd left his cereal bowl in front of the TV and who was hoarding crockery in his room. But the boys have grown up and out moved out, and I am left with a stack of multicolored Fiesta ware and the desire to do something with them other than look at the colors and miss the boys who used to eat off them.
This is a fairly new tradition for me. When my kids were little, everyone in the house had dibs on a different colored plate. This was convenient, because I could at a glance figure out who'd left his cereal bowl in front of the TV and who was hoarding crockery in his room. But the boys have grown up and out moved out, and I am left with a stack of multicolored Fiesta ware and the desire to do something with them other than look at the colors and miss the boys who used to eat off them.
So I've taken to restacking my plates with each change of season. Since Memorial Day, my blue, white, yellow, and burgundy plates have been on the top of the stack, and my kitchen table's place mats have looked distinctly patriotic.
Now that fall is here, or is coming, the blue and white plates have rotated to the bottom of the stack and the orange, yellow and green plates have risen to the top. Next month I'll "redecorate" by flipping over the place mats, revealing the side that has pumpkins printed on a black background.
Restacking my plates doesn't put me into the Martha Stewart hall of fame, but it makes me happy. What traditions do you do to celebrate the changing of the season?
Restacking my plates doesn't put me into the Martha Stewart hall of fame, but it makes me happy. What traditions do you do to celebrate the changing of the season?
