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Autumn has landed (with a thud) By Peggy Dover Oct 30, 2022 12:15 AM A A Just last week, I went to bed in summer-weight PJs — with the AC and ceiling fan on — and woke to a world of down comforters, winter socks and nose frost. Did we skip fall and run smack into winter? I mean, 80s to 50s? What gives? No matter how unpredictable, autumn remains my favorite season, with spring following closely on its heels. I strain forward through a blazing summer to bask in the golden, cool but still sun-drenched days. I normally begin celebrating the first of September. Because it was still so blasted summerlike, I held off until October to spread the tables with autumn-themed covers and top them with the usual box o’ season’s goodies as Indian summer lingered. I pulled out my fabric scarecrows and faux leaves long before they felt authentic. There are signs fall has finally fallen, however. For example, a plastic jack-o-lantern appeared on my kitchen table full of bite-sized Snickers. I found a backup bag in the pantry. While grocery shopping at Freddy’s, and listening to bad pop music, I vaguely recall seeing all Halloween items deeply discounted when my basket sidled over there when I was in a haze. How that 40% off cheetah mask with tattoo nose and whiskers got in there I’ll never know, but I may as well get some good out of it and wear it at the Jacksonville Visitor Center this weekend. As I shoved my grocery cart along the produce aisle, minding my own business and looking for broccoli, a table full of colorful squash practically threw themselves at me. Before I knew what was happening, I had placed three pumpkins, one acorn, one spaghetti and one butternut squash into the basket. Visions of a favorite butternut soup and a marinara-smothered spaghetti squash danced in my head. The acorn specimen may have a future baked with sausage filling, or I may just slather it with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. As for the pumpkins, a flaky crust will envelope their innards nicely. Ah, fall. Chilly weather brings out some Old World cook/baker in me, and that’s not a good omen for my clothes. Even animals are confused. Though the vulture clan knew to head south, they did tarry. I saw one rebel thumbing his beak at the storm clouds. This year, even the trees were taken off guard, like they weren’t sure what to do with their leaves, or when. Front yard sycamore still has lots of green while backyard buddy is just giving up and dropping its foliage with no color change. The crape myrtle holds onto unopened buds. While the temps clung to the 80s, birds who imagined they had already flown south now appear to be scrambling for extra nourishment. Meanwhile, in Phoenix, Arizona, where my sister lives, javelinas have returned and made quick work of their decorator pumpkins — gouging with their tusks and snorting through the insides. Just thought I’d throw that out there to remind us how lucky we are not to have javelinas. I suspect they wait all year for Halloween — the hairy pranksters. We may deal with the occasional raccoon, but at least they’re tuskless (spell check often tells me my words aren’t real). One unfortunate seasonal aspect is the looming day of decision — Election Day. I dislike politics. They’re so political. I faithfully go through the motions of filling in the ovals with blue or black pen. Reading through the Voters’ Pamphlet is like perusing a lackluster menu. I keep turning the page in hopes of further options. I’ll just say this: I’m on the hunt for true Independents, folks who will listen and compromise, but I feel like an orphan. This is the last weekend of the season for trolley rides in Jacksonville. I love selling tickets and get teary-eyed when I see the people inside leaving the station and hear the “clang, clang.” Autumn is here and tomorrow is the big H. Stay safe, vote and leave some Snickers for the kids. Peggy Dover is a freelance writer/author. Reach her at [email protected].