Winter is quickly approaching. The skies are heavy with it when the wind blows just a bit stronger and slightly colder. It is right around the corner with burnt orange leaves scattering themselves on the sidewalks and kids sloshing through the freezing rain. Everywhere stores are putting up Christmas decorations and Santa is settling down in every mall across the city. Winter is definitely on its way.
Something happens to me this time of year…for some reason I am giddy and smiling (even if it is a tired smile) as the days become shorter and the evenings grow cooler. It might be the promise of better sleeps (I have trouble sleeping in the summer) or the idea of seeing the snow beginning to fall. It is perhaps the snuggly sweaters and wool suits all the stores have in their windows…and tall boots – I just happen to love tall boots. It could be the idea of a lovely holiday in December that revolves around turkey and stuffing and family. It may be the nearness of the New Year and a fresh start…and snow… I can’t quite put my finger on what it is exactly but I get pretty koo-koo this time of year.
Perhaps it is how autumnal foods seem to be more comforting, more soothing to me than other dishes. Vegetables stewing together happily with chunks of slow-cooked meats. Noodles being featured prominently in dishes and hearty stews and chilies finally coming back into mode. I can once again make my own stocks and roast some of the summer’s last tomatoes to store for the winter, and use up the last of the *last* of the beautiful berries before they all go dormant for the season.