Day 3: Picture Your October

There is this picture I have next to my reading chair that brings me great joy. I colored it in kindergarten and no matter where I have lived that picture has gone with me. For years it hung on the closet door in my childhood bedroom. The white paper backing slowly turned yellow. The paper curled and ripped in places. One day I discovered the magic that is “The Laminator” and I preserved this piece of my childhood in melted plastic.

I still remember the day I colored it. It is a standard size piece of paper. On it there is a rainbow with a happy sunshine in the mostly middle. There are two puffy clouds one either end of the rainbow and the whole thing is stretched across a half moon section of a town. We had to cut out each of these components and glue them to our paper and then color them. I was not a very good cutter outer so it took me some time. Then I had to select just the right colors for my rainbow. Some genius decided that this rainbow only had 4 bands instead of 6, so I had to decide which ones got the ax (sorry orange and purple). Next I decided that if the sunshine was happy then my clouds had to be happy too. So I drew faces on them. Frankly they both look like they are angry napping but what can you do?

Next came the town. There is a school, stores, fire station, apartment buildings, regular houses, a park, roads, parking lots and a pool. I painstakingly selected just the right brown for the roads. I decided that it was fall in my tiny town (of course) and all the trees needed to be a different fall color. I chose a grey for the roofs and I bartered, begged and pleaded with another kid to use his super fabulous florescent orange. It was a magic crayon I tell you. I still think about it. So there I was happily coloring along and the teacher said, ok, time to finish up. I had about 90% of my town left to color. I raised my hand and explained my dilemma. My teacher who was normally the sweetest woman on the face of the earth was a little perturbed that I wasn’t further along and said that I needed to hurry up and finish because (I think) we were putting them up for parent’s night that night and an unfinished paper was unacceptable. Sooooo, I decided that my town had boroughs, like in New York. To show this I picked a crayon at random and just started coloring the rest of the blank sections in large swaths. There is the blue zone, the florescent orange zone, a whole lot of red and a tiny bit of green. I was rather proud of my solution to the problem.

My teacher came by again, looked at my paper and was not enamored with my quick fix. My parents weren’t all that impressed either. I was told I should have colored things individually and taken my time because it just looked messy. 35 years later I’m still mad about it. Oh the injustice of it all. But at least I got to use the florescent crayon.

So what does my childhood coloring trauma have to do with October? Welllll, when you looked at all the pictures from everyone in my class, they all looked different. They were the same picture. Everyone had the same color pallet to choose from, but it showed our creativity. October is like that. We all have the same 31 days, but what we choose to do with them shows our individuality. Some people curl up and get cozy, some like to look for scares. Some like pumpkins some don’t. Some like candy, some really don’t care. Some people like to take one last trip before winter sets in, while others wait till Thanksgiving to go out and about. There is no wrong way to celebrate October. Decorate with pumpkins or bloody fangs, or don’t decorate at all. Wear orange and black pom poms on your head with a bee costume or put on a cozy sweater. Sip a pumpkin spice something, or find some apple butter. How you find your joy is up to you. How are you planning on celebrating October?

Day 6: Color Me Happy

I think that October has the monopoly on color. The month of October has the richest, most vibrant colors one could ever imagine. I think October is the reason color was thought up in the first place. One could say that October’s defining colors are red, purple, orange, yellow, and black, but that is like saying ice cream is just ice cream. October doesn't just have red, it has scarlet, crimson, fire engine, cherry, vermillion, maroon, brick and candy apple just to name a few. Of the yellows there are mustards, goldenrods, neon, gold, bronze, amber, maize, blonde, and lemon. Purple makes an entrance with plum, eggplant/aubergine, indigo, violet, wine, orchid and lavender. Black has coal, midnight, ink, velvet, obsidian, shadow, onyx and jet. And these are just the names I can come up with off the top of my head. I'm sure the people who think of makeup names, interior decorators and paint swatch people could list dozens more. (man I want that job, Plum Passion Surprise, Manhattan Mauve, Adorable Orange, whoops, sorry, got sidetracked there)

But the color I most associate with October is orange. There is tangerine, peach, burnt sienna (thank you Crayola) flame, carrot, ginger, rust and creamsicle. Funny how there are more descriptive names for the other colors, but for orange, not so much, and it's weird how the ones it does have are food related. I think it is because October is so hard to pin down and explain. Really, the best things are. You just have to experience it to truly understand. I can tell you about the orange of a pumpkin sitting in a patch waiting to be chosen, or a magnificent orange sunset. I can convey the crackle and pop of a bonfire or the crunch of a leaf, but I just can't tell you the color other than…… orange. But somehow, if you truly love October you will still understand.

October has an embarrassment of color, from the tantalizing foods on display in the farmers market, to the vibrancy in the color palette of a costume. There are colors-a-plenty in candy choices and decorations, but the best way to experience October color is in the leaves. To channel my inner SAT prep professor, leaves are to October as snow is to winter.

Every summer, and sometimes sooner, I find myself looking to the trees trying to find that first tinge of something other than green. Don't get me wrong, I love green. It is tied for my favorite color with blue, but there is something about autumn that makes me want to wish that green away in a hurry.

Leaves are sneaky things. One moment they are green and bright and swaying on the tree. The next they are almost every color of the rainbow and floating gently to the ground on a cool breeze. When October leaves are really in their glory the trees seem like they are on fire. The closest I can come to explaining how I see a fall tree is if you watch the movie Pleasantville. Most of the movie is in black and white, but as the characters have awakenings, color starts to enter into their world. One character walks by a tree that has been in black and white for the whole show, when suddenly it bursts into flame. The tree is burning brightly but it is night time and it is on fire against a black and white world. The flame is shocking in contrast and so beautiful that you can't take your eyes off of it. That is how I see October trees.

 In October plants put on their best dresses before they head off to sleep through the winter. If I were any kind of seamstressly inclined, I would attempt to make myself a dress out of fall leaves. Really, it would be better than any Oscar gown. How could it not? Of course I would have to shellac the leaves cuz sitting might be a problem or bending, and the crunchy leaves would be all crackly and break, but who cares. Then they would be brightly colored and shiny shellacked leaves. I would make the best dressed list for sure.

It is my fervent wish that one day I will get to drive along the roads of New England in the fall and look at the beautiful leaves. What a wonderful thing for an area to be known for.  Yes, we have gorgeous leaves, bow before our greatness. I am so jealous. Just imagine cruising along a deserted back road highway that is nothing but a riot of color as far as the eye can see. Maybe along the way there will be a cider stand and they will be offering cider donuts or candied apples to go with it. Perhaps there will be salted caramels and popcorn balls. Man, I think I should just move to New England and start my own leaf tour business. Imagine having that job. Would you ever get tired of it, introducing new people to the wonder of the fall beauty around you? I don't think so. I haven't gotten tired of sharing my love of fall leaves with anyone yet and I am almost four decades old.

October really is breathtaking if you just stop a minute and look. My challenge for today is to go out and find something that represents fall beauty to you. Take a picture. Share it or don't, but just take the time to stop and appreciate.

October Thought Day 19: The Poetry of October

I’m cheating a bit today. As I was scrolling Pinterest I came across an October poem that grabbed my attention. I read it, reread it and then sat back and thought. I went outside and watched a farmer bale his hay. I came back in and looked at websites for ghost towns; and all the while that poem played in the back of my mind. I couldn’t shake it. Good poetry/writing will do that, it sticks with you. So here it is for you to enjoy.
“There is something in the autumn that is native to my blood. Touch of manner. Hint of mood; and my heart is like a rhyme, with the yellow and purple and the crimson keeping time.
The scarlet of the maples can shake me like a cry of bugles going by. And my lonely spirit thrills to see the frosty asters like a smoke upon the hills.
There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir; we must rise and follow her, when from every hill of flame she calls and calls each vagabond by name. – Bliss Carman

The very first line is written as if the author knows me personally, “there is something in the autumn that is native to my blood.” I think if you were to examine my blood at the microscopic level, you would find little pumpkin shaped plasma cells tumbling end over end and shifting color from orange then back to red. I’m almost positive (no pun intended) I’m right. I really do think October is a part of my very chemical makeup, and I think it has been for a very long time. Is it odd to identify so strongly with a month? Obviously I don’t think so.

Then comes the next thought, “and my heart is like a rhyme, with the yellow and purple and the crimson keeping time.” Ok, first of all, I love the word crimson. It is so much better than merely saying red, and what a wonderful idea, a heart beating to the rhythm of the fall colors. Yellow. Boom. Purple. Boom. Crimson. Boom, boom. They forgot the vibrant wonder that is orange but I forgive them as orange is hard to rhyme.

“The scarlet of the maples can shake me like a cry of bugles going by.” The writer had me at scarlet which is another marvelous word; and the fact that the mere color of the trees can shake the author so powerfully, I feel that way all the time. I just talked about it with the example of the car going over the dancing leaves. There is so much beauty in October days that it takes my breath away. There are so many things to see, smell and taste that it is almost an assault on the senses. Farmers markets, nature, mazes, decorations, the night sky, leaves, everything conspires to get your attention; the glisten of an apple with fresh morning dew or the rasp of a cornstalk blowing in the breeze. It’s wonderful, an embarrassment of riches.

“There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir.” Exactly. I couldn’t have said it better myself. It turns out, I also have gypsy blood running rampant in my veins. Whenever the fall starts to peek out from underneath the skirts of summer I get this incredible feeling of wanderlust. I just want to get in my car and drive, it doesn’t matter where, I’ll know when I get there. I just want to see things; new things, old things, beautiful things, anything, everything.

As the poem intimates, October is calling each of us, the question is, will we heed the call?

Feelin' a Bit Colorful: OT Day 11

I think that October has the monopoly on color. What's that, you don't believe me. Then let me prove it to you. November has brown. December has red and green. January is all about the silver. February is pink and red. March is green, April is blue. One could say that May has a large color palette with all the new flowers, but mostly I don't associate May with a specific color. It is the Switzerland of the months. June is white. July is red, white and blue. August is a blazing yellow and September is yellow and red.

But October. October has the richest, most vibrant colors one could ever imagine. October is the reason color was thought up in the first place. One could say that Octobers colors are red, purple, orange, yellow and black. But that is like saying ice cream is just ice cream. October doesn't just have red, it has scarlet, crimson, fire engine, cherry, vermillion, maroon, brick and candy apple just to name a few. Of the yellows there are mustards, goldenrods, neon, gold, bronze, amber, maize, blonde, and lemon. Purple makes a grand showing with plum, eggplant/aubergine, indigo, violet, wine, orchid and lavender. Black has coal, midnight, ink, velvet, obsidian, shadow, onyx and jet. And these are just the names I can come up with off the top of my head. I'm sure the people who think of make up names, interior decorators and paint swatch people could list dozens more. (man I want that job, whoops, sorry, got sidetracked there)

But the color I most associate with October is orange. There is tangerine, peach, burnt sienna (thank you Crayola) flame, carrot, ginger, rust and creamsicle. Funny how there are more descriptive names for the other colors, but for orange, not so much. Then it's wierd how the ones it does have are food related. I think it is because October is so hard to pin down and explain. Really, the best things are. You just have to experience it to understand. I can tell you about the orange of a pumpkin sitting in a patch waiting to be chosen. Or a magnificent orange sunset. I can convey the crackle and pop of a bonfire or the crunch of a leaf, but I just can't tell you the color other than orange. But somehow, if you truly love October you will still understand.

October has an embarrassment of color. From the tantalizing foods on display in the farmers market, to the vibrancy in the color palette of a costume. There are colors a plenty in the candy choices and decorations. But the best way to experience October color is in the leaves. To channel my inner SAT prep professor, leaves are to October as snow is to Winter.

Every summer, and sometimes sooner, I find myself looking to the trees trying to find that first tinge of something other than green. Don't get me wrong, I love green. It is tied for my favorite color with blue, but there is something about autumn that makes me want to wish that green away in a hurry.

Leaves are sneaky things. One moment they are green and bright and swaying on the tree. The next they are almost every color of the rainbow and floating gently to the ground on a cool breeze. When October leaves are really in their glory the trees seem like they are on fire. But in a good and beautiful way. The closest I can come to explaining how I see fall trees, is if you watch the movie Pleasantville. Most of the movie is in black and white. But as the characters have awakenings color starts to enter into their world. One character walks by a tree that has been in black and white for the whole show. Suddenly it has burst into flame. The tree is burning brightly but it is night time and it is on fire in a black and white world. The flame is shocking in contrast and beautiful and you can't take your eyes off of it. That is how I see October trees.

In October plants put on their best dresses before they head off to sleep through the winter. If I were any kind of seamstressly inclined, I would attempt to make myself a dress out of fall leaves. Really, it would be better than any Oscar gown. How could it not. Of course I would have to shellac the leaves cuz sitting might be a problem, or bending, cuz they would be all crackly and break. But who cares. Then they would be brightly colored and shiny shellacked leaves. I would make the best dressed list for sure.

It is my fervent wish that one day I will get to drive the roads of New England in the fall and look at the beautiful leaves. What a wonderful thing for an area to be known for. Yes, we have gorgeous leaves. I am so jealous. Just imagine cruising along a deserted back road highway that is nothing but a riot of color as far as the eye can see. Maybe along the way there will be a cider stand and they will be offering cider donuts or candied apples to go with it. Perhaps there will be salted caramels and popcorn balls. Man, I think I should just move to New England and start my own leaf tour business. Imagine having that job. Would you ever get tired of it. Introducing new people to the wonder of the fall beauty around you. I don't think so. I haven't gotten tired of sharing my love of fall leaves with anyone yet and I am at least a quarter of a century old.

October really is breathtaking if you just stop a minute and look. My challenge for today is to go out and find something that represents fall beauty to you. Take a picture. Share it or don't, but just take the time to stop and appreciate.