When the Frost is on the Punkin

I remember having a conversation once with my brother, Mitch, in which I expressed to him how much I love the Fall and all that it entails. Colorful leaves, hot drinks, fireplaces, holidays, more family time, cozy clothes, pumpkin patches, shorter days, decorations, crisp air. He told me that I love Fall because I'm an "October girl", which I must say is at least partly true because my birthday is the 24th. However, I don't think you have to have an October birthday to know just how magical this season is. Take a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway in the next few weeks and see if you don't agree with me. Look at the color of those leaves! See? Magic.

Fall was Paw's favorite season too, and he was an April birthday (day before Mitch's, in fact), so that proves my theory right there! He loved it. It was the season where he canned his fruit, visited his beloved Limerick Plantation, ate his favorite foods (Peenie says he craved a good, hearty chili and boiled peanuts), enjoyed the changing color of the leaves, and it was the season where he frequently quoted the poem, "When the Frost is on the Punkin", by his favorite poet, James Whitcomb Riley:

WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,	5
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
They's something kindo' harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer's over and the coolin' fall is here—	10
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossoms on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin'-birds and buzzin' of the bees;
But the air's so appetizin'; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur' that no painter has the colorin' to mock—	15
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin' of the tangled leaves as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo' lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin' sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;	20
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover overhead!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin' like the tickin' of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.
Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps	25
Is poured around the cellar-floor in red and yaller heaps;
And your cider-makin's over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With theyr mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and sausage too!...
I don't know how to tell it—but ef such a thing could be
As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me—	30
I'd want to 'commodate 'em—all the whole-indurin' flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

I can hear him reading it now. Isn't that just the most simple, wonderful, and sweet thing? It's become one of my favorite poems. Because of Paw, yes, but also because I know those feelings! I'm a-feelin' at my best in the Fall--always have! It's definitely the season that I'd want to host anyone as company--angels, friends, even foe. For me at least, the season inspires sharing.

Hope you enjoyed "When the Frost is on the Punkin", and that it got you in the Fall spirit. Here's another share, for good measure. I memorized this short poem in the fourth grade. "Fall, Leaves, Fall", by Emily Bronte:

---

Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree. 

I shall smile when wreaths of snow
Blossom where the rose should grow;
I shall sing when night's decay
Ushers in a drearier day.

---

Nothing like two good poems in celebration of the best season EVER!

So, get out there and enjoy that crisp air and those beautiful leaves! I, myself, plan to go on a long run through them both.

I'll leave you with this:

Speaking of accommodating angels, Peanut says she hosted some while I was in North Carolina this weekend. Even though she hates Fall (too cold, she says), I guess she was still in an accommodatin' mood.

...Wonder if she let them use the kitchen?