Autumn, Welcome, Autumn

It was not only the first day of autumn, but a gorgeous one, to boot. My energy level was high as I scurried around doing the chores best left for that perfect fall day. I was highly motivated to transplant all of my indoor plants for the winter, shop for larger planters to accomodate those plants that are becoming root bound in last years pots, purchase and arrange the bird seed in the shed for easy access during the blustery days, and, in my eagerness to be prepared, I even put out my suet feeder usually left for the chilly November days.

The feeling of satisfaction is always there in late September as I stand by the stove cooking up my first pot of chili for the season. Somehow chili always tastes at its prime on the first day of autumn after a summer hiatus of salads and grilled meats.

New neighbors have just moved in. I saw them painting, cleaning, hauling and dumping. They must be exhausted. I told Bob that he should bring some chili over. It is one of my comfort foods and perhaps it will be restorative to them. Bob responded, "That is so old-fashioned to bring food over to new neighbors."

Well, maybe I am old-fashioned. I have that right since I have lived for eight decades. My mother always greeted new neighbors with a friendly hot dish and homemade baked bread. But I suppose in those days neighbors were around for many years and spent more time on their front porches and chatting over the fence with the folks next door. I know times have changed and we all spend more time isolated in front of our televisions, and on our computers and tweeting with our many unseen facebook friends, but down deep, part of me remains in that distant neighboorhood, along with my parents and our neighbors long gone, Mr. Rogers, Andy Griffith, and the Fonz. We knew everyone face to face, eye to eye, blemish to blemish, busybody to busybody and, most of all, helpful to helpful when the need arose.

The arrival of this new season reminds me that times have changed and much of it for the best, but I can still try to keep a spark of the warmth and graciousness of the old days around, maybe as more of a reassurance to me than to my new neighbors.