A lingering Fall...

I probably write about his every year, but there is something special about the Fall, even in here in "season-less" Southern California. Perhaps it is my Ohio upbringing, but I sense Fall by the smell. There is a dark, mustiness of decaying leaves and damp humus that triggers the sense memory in me. There are nights, when I walk outside, when my brain simply triggers the thought, "It's Fall." My choice in food turns to hearty, heavy and warm and I find myself slightly chilled even when the temperatures are only in the upper-50's.

There is something satisfying in the smell of wood smoke and the crunch of dry leaves beneath your feet. There are several apple growing areas near here and I am drawn to them for apple cider. The real stuff, not what you might find in the stores. In my mind, real apple cider should be cloudy and dark, with a tang that puckers your lips, but only a little. Something as different from apple juice as wine is from grape juice.

Unusually for Los Angeles, the Fall has lingered this year. I often joke that Fall normally lasts a week , and then we are in to the wet Winter season where all the leaves are knocked from the trees and things begin to look a little stark. Of course, the rain also leads to some of the most gorgeous views we get all year. This was especially striking when I was working early mornings in a high-rise in Century City. After doing the morning prep routines I would sit in the large conference room on the eastern side of the building and watch the sun come up, illuminating the snow on the San Gabriel Mountains through the newly-washed air. For now, though, I will enjoy our extended Fall and revel in the changing of the seasons.