Fall in New England is one of my favorite seasons. I've lived in New England most of my life, but never tire of the variety this season brings to us.
Yesterday, I rode with a business colleague through New Hampshire and Vermont. It was Columbus Day, sometimes celebrated as a holiday in the United States, and often touted as a great weekend for viewing foliage. Well, in most years, you won't see much but bare trees in Northern New England by the time that weekend rolls around. Happily, this year is an exception. We had copious amounts of rain in the Spring and enough during the summer so that the foliage this year is rich in colors of gold, harvest brown, and pumpkin orange, and many shades in between. Smoke from wood fireplaces drifts in the air, stirring ancient urges to gather around the warmth. As the temperature drops, we develop a taste for hearty meals such as stews, curries, and ragouts, washed down by mugs of hot cider, cocoa and pints of auburn ale.
Frost warnings permeate the weather forecasts, but often the days are still warm enough to enjoy our favorite outdoor activities, be it tossing a football, riding a bike, hiking a trail or walking with your pet.
For a writer, autumn presents backgrounds that tickle the senses, but the season also works as a metaphor for the passing of years and the progression toward mortality. I've included scenes of Fall in my novels and the nip in the air, variegated colors of leafy canopies and harvest aromas can transport the reader directly to that destination, bringing it alive.
As a reader, how to you react to seasons in writing? Do authors draw you in with the vivid descriptions of the change that Autumn or Winter brings? Or is there a hidden terror in these periodic changes of life and its rhythms?
If you are a writer or another type of artist, how important are the seasons in your work? Do they inspire you? Do they transport your characters to new realizations or spiritual yearnings? Let's talk about the seasons and how they affect your art.
