September

The equinox is only two days away and for me it can’t come soon enough. I yearn for cool evenings, firepits and warm stew that steeps on the stove all Sunday afternoon. The sunrise and sunset are getting noticeably closer together. When I go on my morning walks, I can see a shift in the slant of sunlight, and the edges of some leaves look a bit frayed. But it was so hot when I foolishly went for a midday walk it felt like the peak of summer. Note to self: walking at 12:30 pm in mid-September is likely to be a very sweaty affair, even if it felt cool when I enjoyed my morning coffee on the patio a couple of hours earlier.

Perhaps I was trying to rush the season? Silly me! Autumn is a time of transition. In Virginia it can be 90 degrees for the high one day and 70 or 58 the next. We are known for our false fall, “Indian summer,” days with lovely autumn breezes and then when we think fall has finally come to stay, we are faced with another 100-degree afternoon. Fickle is the best way I can describe the weather in Virginia at this time of year. Pack a sweater and maybe wear a sleeveless top just in case.

In general, I am one who likes to savor each season as it comes. No pumpkins before October at my house, No Christmas tree up before Thanksgiving. I want September to be full of tomatoes and peppers harvested straight from my garden moments before they appear on the dinner table and apples freshly picked from Virginia orchards. September is full of church festivals celebrating the food, culture and music of the myriad groups who have made Richmond home. Last weekend there was a Lebanese festival and an Egyptian festival, this weekend there was an Armenian one, next weekend there will be a German one. I may not make it to each of them this year, but I always enjoy the opportunity to travel the world without leaving home and getting to see the children dressed in traditional clothing.

This week I drove to the mountains on Wednesday when the roads were not crowded. I thought I would make great time, but there were workers near Afton trimming trees and road work in Staunton made me take a detour. I supposed September is when VDOT starts to prepare for the upcoming Winter. It did not really matter. I was not in a hurry. As I drove through the scenic countryside, I saw that some trees were losing leaves due to the dry conditions, but also preparations were underway for carloads of apple pickers and leaf peepers, on the weekend.  I couldn’t resist stopping at one of the orchards to pick up a few fall items, even if I did not have time to pick any apples. Apple butter and a cone of peach ice cream were my reward as I killed a bit of time before stopping by to hug my son on the way home. September is a month of transition, often with some wild temperature swings, but it has its rewards.