Growing up in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York I learned from a young age to enjoy the beauty of nature, especially the Autumn time of year. My mom was a lover of all things holiday as many moms are. As soon as there was the slightest bit of crisp in the air, the fall festivities began! This included baking traditional autumn treats, apple and pumpkin pies, warm oatmeal cookies, homemade soups and much more.
One of our annual family traditions was a trip to the local pumpkin patch, picking pumpkins that magically transformed into grinning Jack O’ Lanterns, alight on our front stoop! Scarecrows and large hay bales guarded an autumnal extravaganza of literally hundreds of beautiful gourds of all shapes and sizes. My mom always doing something creative, took beautiful photos of falls harvest, as my brother, sister, dad, and I walked the isles eyeballing for which pumpkin had the perfect contours for a spooky Halloween face! Warm, spiced, apple cider was the prize for finding the perfect gourd! Later we had just as much fun spreading newspapers on the kitchen floor, gutting our gourds with large metal spoons as mom collected pumpkin seeds to season and toast as treats.
I still enjoy embracing many of the traditions of my childhood. This year I got a jump start on Autumn, crawling under the house to pull out goodies that have been in a deep mummy-like slumber, seemingly for decades. Crafting pumpkins with literal spider webs running across their creepy grins. Halloween decorations, the Autumn leaf wreath for the front door, glittery pumpkins to set about the house, and a variety of autumn and Halloween nick-naks, both humorous and nostalgic. Each year I craft or buy small items to add to the collection, and each year have just as much fun celebrating the magic of the season!
Family traditions are like a hidden drumbeat, emotional bonds of our shared experience, memories of celebration we carry with us into adulthood. Time together creating a simple autumn craft, baking a handed down family recipe, taking a walk on a wooded path, or simply enjoying a cup of spiced tea with a friend, reminds me of life’s magic.
Take pause this year as leaves turn brilliant shades in their final glory and fall softly to the ground. An intimate silence is revealed within the bare and beautiful branches. Allow yourself to be that, if only for a moment.
Autumn time is a call to remember the drumbeats of family traditions. As you make new memories together, remember to celebrate the magic of life!
Katie