Tuesday, October 14, 2008

All's quiet on the western front.

And it's cold. Very very cold.

Seems we went right past fall into winter. Snow and everything. Even the trees were caught off guard as many of them still have all their summer green leaves.

Fall is my favorite time of year. There's something about the colors, the sky, the smell that just....I don't know. Makes me feel all mooshy inside. (All together now....ahhhhh.)

Some of my most vivid memories are of the fall or of Halloween. I distinctly remember those network Halloween specials that they used to run. "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" was an annual affair. I remember watching some corny special while my mom made homemade donuts (the long, labor intensive kind, not the refrigerator biscuit kind that I make do with.) I remember pumpkin carving and roasting pumpkin seeds. I remember trick-or-treating in the rain wearing a long black wig and my gypsy costume from the ward road show and thinking I looked kinda hot. I remember that Halloween candy used to be smarties and marshmallow peanuts, and if you got chocolate you SCORED!

When I was out of High School, I still got to play dress up for two Octobers in one of those spook alleys. The first year I was a gypsy (maybe that's a karmic sign of my wanderlust) and had to wear this necklace made of REAL chicken feet. The spook alley was designed by Pat Davis who was a big wig in theater around here, so instead of the standard shock and scare production, there were scripted parts and mini plays. And my part went something like this:

"Have you ever seen a geek?" (Why yes, they have! Looking back, I was probably a prime example right at the moment...) "A geek is a fellow who eats LIVE CHICKENS...picks 'em clean. Started out addicted to his mom's southern fried...then moved to rare chickens...then to raw. Now he eats them chickens live, feathers and all!" (And then there was some screaming and rattling of my "gypsy caravan" while I uttered some warnings about how they'd better hurry along before the geek got tired of eating chicken. Lots of people came up to feel my chicken feet necklace thinking that it was fake only to freak out when they felt the skin slide over the bones. (And even though I was a geeky gypsy, I was still hot. I've got a picture here somewhere to prove it.) Pat apparently really liked that little bit of script, because I saw it years later in another one of her spooky productions. It even landed me an audition for a commercial, which I didn't get. C'est la vie.

The second year I did the spook alley, I got decapitated. I was up on a wooden cart dressed in medieval dress while some guy yelled about how I was guilty and the punishment was death. Then I knelt behind the guillotine and stuck a horrible fake head through it (that didn't even have a wig that matched my hair) and dropped it when the blade when down. Then I got to peek through the hole and squirt the crowd. One fellow just about jumped up on the wagon after I gave his leather jacket a good soak. (bwaa haa haaa.)

Every year, just smelling the autumn air at night will bring back these memories.

Except this year. Because it's COLD. And it SNOWED. NO pretty leaves, NO beautiful sunsets and NO leafy, smoky smell.

The weather man has promised that things will warm up soon. I really, really hope so, because I've discovered that I need Autumn.

I need the moody orange skies. Need the walks in the warm, fragrant evenings. Need to look up to see the mountains swathed in bright oranges, reds, and yellows.

Need to be transported back to a warmer, safer time where the world is colorful and smells like donuts.

The homemade kind. Not the ones in the refrigerator cans.

11 comments:

lynette355 said...

Fall, oh the wonders of it all. Time to pull yourself into the woolies and curl up with a good book. Highschool football games and necking in the car (can still do that w/hubby). Festivals all around with crafts and trinkets and yummy ooohhhhy gooey food. (had fried twinkies this year)
Yes the wonders of it all, Fall Fall Fall

Thanks for coming to visit yesterday during the blog a thon care of SITS

had a great read on your site. will return

Jim said...

I agree with you. I love fall...footballs in the air...and all that other good stuff.

Heather said...

Fall is my favorite, but without the snow. I live in Colorado and I'm tired of snow. But the leaves and the smells...THAT I love.

Pennies In My Pocket said...

Fall is a VERY close to Christmas morning for me. I just LOVE it. I'm so with you on this one!

I'm still laughing at the whole 'geek' thing. LOL

~melody~

Being Honest said...

Beautiful post. I love the Fall too...it sets my soul on fire!
Love it! I hope you get some warmer weather and still get to enjoy Fall!

Andrea Amu said...

Ohhh, you poor girl! You DO need Fall... how cruel that it snowed! I loved reading about all your Autumn memories.

Unknown said...

I REALLY hope it slows down enough for you to enjoy what I've had the chance to enjoy...our fall here in Edmonton has been slow, and warm and colorful, sunny and comforting! Oh I wish that for everyone!

(I'm baking chocolate chip cookies as we speak too....)

...boy I'm terrible leaving you with all that jealousy....

Suzanne said...

I WISH we had anything similar to a Fall. I get happy if the temp gets down to 70 all day and 50's at night. Anythings a relief from this heat and humidity! I actually would love to see some snow and cold right about now!

Ronda's Rants said...

Oh I do know what Fall is...but I don't see it often...Florida girl here!
Great post though...seasons are important...they help us transition in life, as well !

Fink said...

Yes, Fall does have a great splendor about it! It also means Winter is in the lurking!

Gotta love Charlie Brown, Great pumpkin!

Anna Lefler said...

I loved this post - and I really wished we had SEASONS here in Santa Monica (dangit).

Thanks for stopping by during the blogathon and leaving a funny comment - I really appreciate that!

Take care and see you around SITS...

:^) Anna