Blogtober 16: The Rhythm of the Year

 

I grew up with four definite seasons. The changes were marked. In the north, spring came late and autumn came early. Snow for four or five months. A few weeks of bitter (-40 degree) cold in January. We always joked about summer coming on a weekend so we could enjoy it. Long summer nights were filled with mosquitoes and occasionally the northern lights. Boating, fishing, swimming, barbecues - we made the most of the short two months of real summer. 

As an adult, I spent many years living on the equator. In reality, we might have been a few miles south, but not far. The slant of the sun through our windows changed by only a couple of inches throughout the year. We didn't have a dry season and a rainy season. We just had weather. Lots of sunshine in the city of Quito high in the mountains, and lots of rain in Shell in the jungle. When the wind blew in the mountains, it was dry and dusty. Days were the same length year round. Sun up around 6:00 am and down at 6:00 pm. No variation.

When I moved to Ecuador, I missed the seasons so much. I always hoped it would at least rain on Christmas Day to give us a little taste of cooler weather, but it rarely did. Instead, we would celebrate with a big dinner with friends, then go for a walk or sit on the patio.  

So I love living here in Canada where we do have seasons once again. Now I confess I would like a little more definition to the seasonal changes. Where I live, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, summer drifts into autumn slowly and gradually. Winter means cooler temperatures and more rain, sometimes a week of snow will delight me. Spring seems to last forever before the temperatures warm up to real summer. The change of seasons is muted rather than dramatic. 

Now that Autumn is here, I'm enjoying the cooler days and nights, and even the shorter days. There are many delightful things to mark the change of seasons. Here are a few of my autumn delights:

Soup

(vegetable soups, cheesy chowders, hearty beef and mushroom, 

broccoli and blue cheese, chilis - there's hardly a soup I don't like)

Socks

(so cozy - thin ones to wear with loafers and 

thicker ones to wear with boots)

Fires

(we heat with gas fireplaces and they are not as cozy as wood burning

ones, but easier to manage)

Stocking Up

(I believe I'm finished now, but there's been jam making, vegetable freezing, 

pickling, and drying going on for the past couple of months

- the pantry shelves are full)

Prepare for Christmas

(Once Thanksgiving is over I start thinking about Christmas because I love to

do so. I pull out a few magazines and start thinking about the pajamas I will sew

for the grandchildren, and any other gifts I might make. This is the time to

choose Christmas cards, too. And if I see a gift that someone might like, I'd 

best get it when I see it.)

Watch the leaves fall,

(When the wind begins to blow and the leaves fly off the trees, 

I'll either head out for a walk, or stay indoors and watch through the window as they 

twirl and dance to the ground.)

Scarves

(I love wrapping a scarf around my neck before going out for a walk,

and wear them in the house if it's really chilly. So warming.) 

Is the change of seasons something that delights you? 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend of delights.

PS For more stories about our years in Ecuador, you can visit my SubStack account. It's nice to see some of you over there.