I’ll start out by telling you mine. It would be the one that’s embracing us all. The splendor of autumn.
This all started when the grandkids were revealing their favorite season. One said winter for obvious reasons: Christmas.
Another pointed to summer for camps and swimming on a lake, not to mention a hiatus from school.
Not one child picked spring, through we have horticulturalists in our family who plant gardens and showcase their crops at that time.
I summoned a show of hands for autumn and only one shot up. Mine. Tell me, reader, is there anything more breathtaking than a colorful foliage, the crisp air, and a morning dew? You have Thanksgiving and family gatherings. Football beckons, schoolboy or the NFL.
You can’t beat the weather. Spring is too rainy and summer’s too hot. Fall is soon over and winter is not. Sometimes the elements tend to overextend themselves with the snow and ice. And let’s not forget Daylight Savings Time. We gain that precious hour.
I enjoy seeing the children dressed up for Halloween. We carve pumpkins and decorate the house. Even we adults get into the act with costume parties. It is just a fun time to cherish, even now with the grandchildren up to their tricky shenanigans.
Being a Libra (Sept. 30), I take great pride in my fortunes, often taking heed when an unforeseen obstacle predicts its appearance.
My favorite spot in the world during this season is the Kancamagus Highway up by Lincoln and Conway, N.H. Just being immersed in all that iridescence is enough to put a rainbow in your heart. Best 34-mile ride this side of anywhere, trust me.
A fall hike in the White Mountains is the best time to escape the flies and heat. Somehow, the trails burst forth with energy and wildlife. The season attracts major tourism to these parts worth billions of dollars.
I usually take the opportunity to get my fall clothes out of moth balls while the women in my life get theirs out of dress shops.
Let it be known that my favorite song in season is “Autumn Leaves,” with a particular attraction to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Of this repertoire, “Autumn” gets my vote.
If you like a good romance flick, let me suggest “Autumn in New York” with Richard Gere and Winona Ryder. I watched it when it first appeared in 2000 and catch it again from time to time. The scenery is lush.
I made the mistake of touring the Mediterranean in August and nearly melted in sweat, especially at Pompeii with temperatures surpassing 100 degrees. Same could be said for Las Vegas one year.
But one autumn junket to Armenia was just what Mother Nature ordered. Best time of year for fruits and veggies, not to mention the countryside.
I prefer traveling in autumn, knowing full well that as a photographer, winter scenes are alluring with snow-capped cupolas on churches, and floral eruptions in spring carry their own individuality.
We chose autumn to tour this country’s national parks. Let me tell you, there’s no better time of year to take this trip than late September or early October. By themselves the rock formations have their own appeal. Throw some color into the mix and it becomes eye-popping.
My next trip will also occur in autumn. I feel it’s the best time to meander through Nova Scotia and explore the Cabot Trail.
English poet John Keats was among my favorites in school. Just read his “To Autumn” and you’ll also be hooked by his verse. He describes the season as a time of “bounteous fecundity,” a time of “mellow fruitfulness.” No doubt he had an affinity for autumn.
It’s a time I associate with melancholy. The warmth of summer is gone and the chill of winter is on the horizon. Skies turn grey and many turn inward. It’s the calm before the holiday storm when our lives turn chaotic.
And let’s not forget the start of another school year when our children are out of the house and off to more erudite surroundings. “Back to School” offers its own reprieve for parents.
Are you aware that since 1997, Autumn has been one of the top 100 names for girls in the United States?
I’ll often call my granddaughter “Pumpkin.” It just seems so relevant.
If you’re a television buff like I am, stations and networks traditionally begin their regular seasons in the fall with new series and episodes.
Whatever your favorite season may be, enjoy it to the fullest and be thankful you’re alive. There’s something to be said for each of them, right here in New England.
Tom Vartabedian
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