BS: Smells of Autumn

Subject: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Ed T
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 06:26 PM

Do you associate Autumn with certain smells, be it from your youth, or more recent?

Is it simmering apples,sauce or cidar, jams or pickles cooking in the kitchen? Is it a morning dew. Or, the woodsy smells of damp leaves beginning to decay on the ground, or the smell of a root celler. Could it be firewood, kindling, the wood smoke from chimneys, a wet dog, or simmering soups in a slow cooker?

What's your favourite smells (or sights) of autumn?

If its not so cold, what's special to you about Autumn in your area?

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 06:29 PM

The leaves have a kind of spicy smell as they lie on the ground in the fall, I love that. When the garden decomposes after the first frost, that's also an interesting smell. And of course I love all of the durable cooking and baking I can do - soups, stews, roasts, breads, things I'm much less likely to make when it's too darn hot.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Ed T
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 06:29 PM

Autumn


I like the fall
The mist and all
I like the night owl's
Lonely call
And wailing sound
Of wind around
I like the gray
November day
And dead, bare boughs
That coldly sway
Against my pane
I like the rain

I like to sit
And laugh at it
And tend
My cozy fire a bit
I like the fall
The mist and all

Fr. Joseph K. Horn

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 01 Nov 10 - 07:18 PM

Forever Autumn - The Moody Blues


It's memories of warm pullovers, winter skirts, huddling round the fire, toasting crumpets...

Out in the garden Dad's burning the leaves, and I go out to help him.."Put your coat on, Lisa!" Mum calls out.

I run down to Dad and the smell of smoke feels as comforting as the warmth from the glowing incinerator. He lets me use the poker, to bring air into the fire, but it's so hard, with small hands, to fit it through the fire-red holes, but I try over and again, as we both laugh, then Dad's hands grasp mine, steady the poker and finally the flames come to life....

I turn away from the fire and blow my breath out hard, like a dragon, whoooooohooooohooooooo..and I laugh even more.

The rich colours against the blue sky, oranges, yellows, coppers, reds...How can anything be so beautiful when it's dying? But...maybe we are like the leaves as we get ready for our 'next season', just not able to see the same beauty in our dying bodies...

Out in the garage the big wicker baskets wait to be filled....

Dad and I spend hours with the apple-picker, twisting, pulling, tugging, until the rosy tinged cooking apples fall gently into the net..."That's a lovely one, Liz!" he says, softly picking my catch out of the net, "See the shine on this one!" and he rubs it carefully on his sleeve, before bending down to put it in the box beside his feet....

Finally, when the box is filled we carry it to the garage, where the newspapers lies waiting...A thick layer of paper goes into the deep baskets, taller than I am, they are...then the apples, gently placed, carefully arranged..."Be careful, Liz, they have to last right through to Spring, don't bruise them."

The layers start to rise, the baskets start to fill....until the final layer of paper is triumphantly spread across the top. "A job well done, Liz!" he smiles..and I grin back.

Then indoors for tea and crumpets, and warming our toes by the fire.

Later we take the dogs for walks..kicking through the ankle deep leaves, loving the "shooooshing" crackle they make, seeing the peaty earth beneath...Up in Oxhey Woods the trees are getting their winter coats ready, the woods are looking lighter, as the sun floods through almost empty branches...The dogs race around happily on the soft carpet of leaves beneath their happy feet..

And every now and then, a solitary leaf falls down to join his brothers and sisters....

You get home to the smell of freshly baked apple pie...and Dad smiles..

All this and Christmas is just around the corner!

But first, you have Bonfire Night and fireworks...and you run upstairs to look out over Pinner, right up to Harrow-on-the-Hill, and you see a thousand stars bursting into bright colours against the now bare autumn trees...

And Christmas grows ever nearer...

The next morning you go 'rocket hunting' in the garden, picking up the rogue rockets from next door, seeing just a hint of their original brightly coloured wrapping, around the burnt out bits...Catherine Wheels still stand there, pinned to the clothes prop from the night before, and still the acrid smell of fireworks is in the air...The grass is wet now, the leaves mulchy...

There's roast pork and fresh apple sauce for Sunday Dinner...you picked the apples out yourself "Go careful, Liz, and be sure to put the paper back on top" says Dad...and the garage smells of apples, sweet and rich...The apple picker stands idle now, his job done until next year...

Then one morning you wake up....and the leaves are back again, but this time, they're in your own garden...and your dear Dad has become like a disappearing leaf himself, gone like the whisps of smoke, and the breath from the dragon......

Out comes the rake, and you gather the fallen leaves into piles once more, and bit by bit you fill your own garden incinerator, eventually lighting it, but this time you watch the fire start to burn whilst your own children stand beside you........

And you smile.....warmed by the love of a gentle man who gave you so much love to carry with you, and so many happy memories to hold on to..

And as the bonfire smoke starts to rise on the wind, you know the scent of your Dad is all around you.....and even to this very day, the sweet autumn bonfires bring Dad back to me instantly...and my smile grows ever deeper...

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 07:57 AM

I am still looking at the beauty of the fallen leaves and the ones still remaining in the trees, amber, gold and red enhanced by the autumn gold of the sun. How I wish I was still young enough to roll in and kick the swept up leaves without a care in the world, but alas I can only look. The gorgeous smell of woodburning bonfires is more frequent as Bonfire night draws closer and closer.

The early morning now comes with a light frost or mist and a definite crackly wintery smell in the air. Lovely.

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: C-flat
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 08:37 AM

Since I quit smoking I'm amazed every day by the smells everywhere I go.
Didn't realise how much I've been missing, and most of them really pleasant!! (most but not all!)
Clever things, noses!

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Becca72
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 10:38 AM

Lizzie,
I have to thank you for posting that link to one of my ALL TIME favorite songs. Wonderful!!

Strange that such a beautiful song was included in a "War of the Worlds" remake...

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: olddude
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 11:38 AM

Beautiful time of the year, my favorite, the grape picking season is over and still smell the grapes ... the smell of the leaves, and the water when I fish and walk around. The smell of the pines ... beautiful ... love it ... it is cold today but after I do some work I will do a walk about in the woods

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Micca
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 02:23 PM

Several years ago now
After a long drive from New York we arrived, a late afternoon in October, at our destination in up country New Hampshire, tired and slightly tattered, the door opened and our friend said "Welcome,come in" and all around her the smell of Apple pie and coffee flooded out onto the porch, drawing us into the house and a hearty welcome from Friend, kids, and cats, A Memorable moment, that is immediately recreated in my mind by the smell of apple pie, or Autumn leaves.

This year I have been privelaged to see the "Fall Colours" from North Carolina right up to Maine and all the intervening States and I have to say it is even more impressive in 3D as anthying I've seen in Photos or ever read about it! Yes I am a Confirmed "Leaf Peeper" (seems to be of the same staus and regard as Emmets in Cornwall and Grockles in Devon!!) There are some pix of the Fall Colours 2010 here

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 05:31 PM

I miss the smell fo Autumn. My keen sense of smell was virtually destroyed. I do remember how a curious scent of apples seemed to pervade the Autumn air. What smell I have left interprets familiar smells differently, toward the displeasant. Thank goodness I can still smell cinnamon. I learned there is a true cinnamon and a relative species we most commonly use as cinnamon.

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Ed T
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 05:51 PM

When I think of Autumn, I think of the wind. IMO, few people captured the cold eery nature of the wind, in a song.   

To me, Stompin Tom Connors captured it well in this song. It is sung in a tribute session....not sure of the singers name.


I am the wind


I am the wind, I am the wind
Without foes, without friends
I have no home, no cares to tend
All alone, I am the wind

I am the wind, I am the wind
Where I go is where I've been
I'm hear today and gone again
On my way, I am the wind

I am the wind, lazy wind
Gentle breeze, In Lovers Glen
In the awsome tales of fishermen
Testing sails, I am the wind

I am the wind, contrary wind
Here to serve my makers end
I don't believe, I've ever sinned
I only know, I am the wind

I am the wind, swirling wind
Stripping trees at summers end
But I'm the song of spring again
Right or wrong, I am the wind

I am the wind, eternal wind
Around the door, between gods and men
And if you see how I go in
You'll have the key, and know the wind

You'll have the key my friend, to know the wind

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 06:54 PM

To reply to the original question: When I was young..about 60 years ago, it was legal to burn fallen leaves in the gutter of the street. (Wichita, Kansas)The practice was stopped, but it was still legal for a few more years to burn them in backyard burners, such as 55 gallon oil drums and firepits. My father had built a brick & block cooking grill, and we raked leaves into it. That too was soon outlawed, but I still remember the smell of burning leaves as part of Autumn.

Subject: RE: BS: Smells of Autumn
From: maire-aine
Date: 02 Nov 10 - 07:47 PM

I, too, miss the smell of burning leaves.