Dear Belfast,
Please learn the art of loving autumn. It's really not so bad, I promise. Why in the middle of October are Christmas lights already hanging in the city centre? Why is there a sign that says "Merry Christmas Belfast?" Ok, I can try to some how understand starting to put out Christmas stuff after Halloweeen. What else are you supposed to do in November when the days are getting shorter and shorter? But hello it's October the best month of the year!
It's not only my birthday month (w00p w00p) but also the peak of Autumn. For some reason I always get homesick in the fall (or at least for the past 3 years). And this year, I really started thinking about what causes it. So I'm missing big holidays with my family, the first year I just move here, last year I had no idea when I would be going home again, but what about this year? I love my life here and I am going home in less than two months for Christmas. I have come to the conclusion that my heart longs for an American autumn.
Yes a few pumpkins show up in shops here and there are pumpkin spiced lattes at Starbucks (I'm dipping my ginger snap biscuit into one now), but there is a whole Autumn culture that deals with much more than just Halloween.
To start with there is a crispness in the air with sunny afternoons and a slight breeze. The brilliance of the sunset can be seen all day long as the tress change into glorious oranges, reds, and yellows. Leaves float through the air and crunch under your feet. There has been one tree here that has slowly been changing colours outside our finance office which always brings delight to my heart. Unfortunately rather than a crunch of leaves under my feet I have to watch my step so not to fall from the slippy wet leaves that stick to my shoe making footpaths more of an ice rink than a walk way. Never ever have i gotten so wet and cold as I did on Thursday when the skies open upped and dumped the entire contents of a rainless September upon me as I walked to the Church of the Res where I was giving a talk that evening. Of course I didn't have an umbrella or another change of clothes. Now to be the end of September and beginning of October was so so beautiful here with clear blue skies and the sun shining down on you.
Then you have the tastes of fall! The food range often matches that of the colours of autumn leaves... Red, orange, and yellow... Apples, pumpkins, and squash. In college, I went with my roommates and picked apples from an apple orchard later sipping hot apple cider infused with cinnamon to warm up! Bags of apples would be used to make home made apple sauce, cider, apple pie, and apple crisp. Houses were filled with the cosy smell and warmth of apple cinnamon. Now pumpkin and squashes are much more than native foods that you can cook with but also a decoration which you would find at your front door, entry way, living room, and of course dinning space around thanksgiving time. On a Sunday afternoon in midOctober, you would go to the pumpkin patch as a family (or to Walmart on busy years) and pick your own pumpkin. Later you would literally de-gut the pumpkin while carving intricate designs into the side of it. Of course with my artistic mother we wouldnt only carve a design in the front but also on the back to cast a shadow against the wall. The key to pumpkin carving is cutting a hole in the bottom for the candle so the top doesn't fall in later it the week. You must also scrap the carving side of the pumpkin extra thin for optimum carving. Then you surround your carved masterpieces with various coloured mini gourds and pumpkins.
Football, the throwing sport not the kicking sport. I know you don't really get it and think it's a bit of a sissies sport compared to Gaelic or rugby. I still can't explain why there are so many time outs or why they wear pads except I know people have died from tackles. The reality is football and fall go together. It's what you do during the weekend: bundle up to watch a local Friday night high school game, then on Saturday doing chores and projects around the house (before the winter freeze strands you inside) while watching/ listening to your favourite college teams play, and then on Sunday afternoon you lie in the lazy boy chair watching NFL. For big games you even have a group of mates over to watch with you and prepare "game day" food. My dad always said it was a good weekend when Grundy Centre, Iowa State, and the Chicago Bears won!
God bless my roommate Siobhan. She tries so hard to understand her American roommate and curb your autumn homesickness. She bought me the cutest little pumpkin, but couldn't understand why I wouldnt carve it. It's a little one for decor. We'll keep it until Thanksgiving! She also makes the best sweet potato soup ever and has never tried to make pumpkin pancakes. I also received a tin of pumpkin as a gift from somebody at work. People really are trying, but... It's not quite the same.
Belfast I understand that autumn a bit different here. Most of it you just can't control because of the weather, culture, and growing conditions. But please, please, PLEASE don't bring up the Ch word (Christmas- an incredible celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ) until November. Allow us Americans... Or at least this American enjoy the little bits of autumn left during the month of October. And one day I hope you get to experience a true fall experience.
Much love, Sarah, the American Local Autumn Lover
Disclaimer: I interchange the word "fall" and "autumn" throughout this post. I grew up calling this season fall, but have grown to accept and appreciate calling it autumn. The two words are the same things for this beautiful season!
