Thursday, October 01, 2020

October Feast - Five on Friday

 


Welcome October - my favourite month of the year. It lies between summer and winter: cool enough to wear sweaters and not so cold or wet as to require heavier gear. Sunny golden days intersperse with a few darker, rainy ones. Thanksgiving is towards the beginning, and my birthday towards the end. As Anne of Green Gables once said, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." It's a veritable feast for the senses!

1. On a recent sunny afternoon I took a walk and found lots of cyclamen blooming in clumps along the wooded path. Their colour isn't typical of autumn, but how pretty that pink is in the sunlight. Such a beautiful sight. 


2. Maple leaves glow red and yellow before they fall to dry and curl into brown crispiness that crunches when stepped on, or rustles in the wind. When caught by a passing car the leaves scuttle, dry and rasping, across the street to pile up in drifts that are perfect for scuffling through. Other autumn sounds include the honking of geese as they trail in ragged V formations across the sky.



3. October cooking fills the house with delicious smells to whet the appetite. The gentle fragrance of a steaming cup of tea is a wonderful complement to Applesauce Muffins. Savoury beef stew, redolent with red wine, browned beef cubes, and lots of vegetables. Warming White Chicken Chili, put into the slow cooker before I leave for work, provides several meals for the two of us. Soups and stews are accompanied by buttermilk biscuits, toasted sourdough bread, or savoury zucchini loaf for meals that fill and satisfy. 


4. On a sun-filled Saturday, a salad composed of roasted red winter squash, sweet cherry tomatoes, crunchy grated carrots, and crisp lettuce, with a sprinkle of dried cranberries for sweetness, some sunflower seeds for more crunch, and a blue cheese dressing created a combination that tasted good on so many levels. 

On a Friday or Saturday evening I've been popping a small bowl of popcorn for myself (Tim's not crazy about popcorn), and enjoying the salty, buttery corn taste. I also like it with some butter and cinnamon sugar. 

Cinnamon and cloves, freshly grated nutmeg and cardamom add so much warmth flavour to baked goods during this season. 


5. Let's not forget the touches of autumn - the chill against my skin when I head out the door in the morning, the smoothness of home-grown winter squashes, the wet dew on the grass, and the sometimes surprising feel of unseen cobwebs across my face. There's the feeling of wind and rain, of sunshine on my back, and of snuggling under warm covers at night. 


This morning, on the way to school, the sun rose red and fiery in a fog and smoke-clouded sky. I stopped on a rise to capture a quick photo with my phone, around 8 am. 

How are your senses awakened to autumn? 



27 comments:

  1. A beautiful post, your words so well written evoking the senses. I love the scrunching of leaves at this time of year underfoot. The seasonal fruit and vegetables available are a delight. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  2. I am grateful that I live in a country that has four distinct seasons, each one bringing delights. Autumn's gold, Winter's sleep, Spring's renewal, and Summer's flowering.

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  3. Delightful! Pictures and word pictures always make me happy.

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  4. I would say that October is my favorite month. Loved your post today.

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  5. What a lovely post to welcome October! I have always loved the month too.

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  6. Lovely descriptions. However, our Autumn is beset by storms , wind, rain and gales. I'm staying firmly inside with a fire on and a lap quilt round me!

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  7. Oh Lorrie, you not only have a way with photography, but also, with words! Your writing is a work of art, too. Happy October to you. 🍁

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  8. What a lovely tribute to October!

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  9. I love your description of autumn. Your descriptions and photos are a feast for the senses.

    Hope you have a great day at a school.

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  10. Hi Lorrie,

    As always, I enjoyed your post. Do cyclamen grow wild there in Canada? Here in the U.S., the reddish-colored and the white blooms are popular at Christmas, and I love the pinks best, personally. Love your third photo -- it is the epitome of home and coziness. :) Yes, it actually feels like fall here this morning, too. Did you see the big Harvest Moon last night?

    Thank you for sharing your five October thoughts and images, Lorrie. Welcome Fall, my favorite time of the year! I hope you have a lovely weekend, my friend!

    Hugs,

    Denise

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  11. A beautiful post, Lorrie. I, too, have an October birthday. It has always been a favorite month of mine, simply because it is so beautiful. I enjoyed seeing your cyclamens. They are lovely, I have never seen them in the wild.

    Enjoy your October days.

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  12. I love the sound of walking through crunchy fallen leaves. The crisp air is so refreshing .

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  13. There is so much to love about October!

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  14. I like all your Friday favourites. And the pictures. I just love the weather we're enjoying lately and hope it keeps on with cool mornings and warm afternoons.

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  15. Wonderful photos. I didn't know cyclamen grow wild. Until now, I thought they were a house plant. Baked butternut squash is such a treat, if October could be an ice cream it would be butternut squash.

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  16. This post is a delightful feast for the senses! Even through my laptop screen, I am experiencing them all . . .

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  17. Ahhh, cloves! I just love the scent of them. Lately I can smell woodsmoke and the gardens dying scent. The light is so different. At such an angle that it no longer hits my bedroom window till late morning. Your meals sound wonderful. I should make some stew. Have a lovely week! Kit

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  18. The food looks amazing! I've spent some happy time during the weekend rearranging the kitchen, going through the pantry and spices and new recipes. It is nice to go back to soups and baking, it has been such a hot summer I was hardly ever tempted to turn on the oven and bake. Muffins, here I come!
    Amalia
    xo

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  19. What lovely snapshots of fall!

    I flipped the switch on the furnace this weekend and have busted out my duvet!

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  20. Lovely observations. How I love seeing clumps of cyclamens and the smell of freshly baked thing with cinnamon and spices. Of course you know I would love the tea added too. Yesterday I made caramel corn, which didn't last long around my house. Crunchy leaves underfoot when I walk delights me. I am loving October this year because I know our election is coming soon and an end to the year where I have great hope for a better 2021.

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  21. Dear Lorrie,
    Your salad with fresh and roasted ingredients looks super delicious. I love cyclamens and always have one blooming in my house. I would grow them in my garden but it's just too cold here in the winter.

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  22. Mmm, so lovely. I love being here for this seasonal change, not least for the chance to cook and eat Autumn meals. Beef stew in the crockpot for today. Yay! That salad looks wonderful ...thank you for the idea .

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  23. We've seen some change and it does feel so refreshing! Cooler temps and lower humidity! YAY! Love the leaves you find there and can't wait to make more Fall type meals. Enjoy your week!

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  24. You covered it so well...the beauty of autumn! Yes, it is a feast for the senses! Beautiful pic's, as always!

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  25. I'm not used to seeing THAT many cyclamen flowers all in a bunch. Beautiful!

    So are you smooth and straight squashes. Autumn harvest... so satisfying, isn't it. Thank you for all the glimpses and whiffs of fall....

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  26. What a lovely, lovely, Octobery post, full of things I love about this time of year. Yes, I'm ready for autumn, my favourite season. Thanks Lorrie. x

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  27. It's all so beautiful, Lorrie! October is the most wonderful month, isn't it? It's cooler here, but I'm ready for even cooler temperatures. Fall cooking and baking is the best, with all the flavors and scents that we love so well.

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