Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Signs of the Seasons

Despite the rain, I decided to walk from Rive to Plain Palais where I had an appointment with my dermatologist, about 30 minutes. My leather coat and umbrella kept me dry and I could enjoy the fall feel. All the indications that autumn has come are there. The first was “The hunt has arrived” signs in restaurants meaning they are now serving venison, pheasant and other wild life brought in by local hunters. Likewise the butcher shop displays a stuffed small deer and a stuff pheasant. His shop window could qualify for a Gourmet magazine cover.

The second was the chestnut stand being set up near the fountain at Molard. The mini chalet has a large iron kettle outside and inside burlap bags filled with chestnuts cover half the space. I have yet to be bonked by a chestnut, another sure sign of this season. Bonk is not used in the Brit sense of a brief sexual encounter but the American meaning of a sharp encounter with a falling object.

The last sign will have to wait. That is when the nouveau Beaujolais will arrive. At that point I will buy winter gloves.

In New England other signs foretold the change of season. The first red leaf would flutter from a tree. The leaves, although pretty, are no where near as brilliant as in New England, but I can content myself with the crisp nights and the rain and the hunt and the chestnut stands and…

1 comment:

blueVicar said...

You know, I miss the signs of autumn. Here in Antibes the seasons change with few cues, save the green leaves along the boulevard Albert 1er. Oh, and the temperature, of course.

In the spring, I was visiting some friends who have a yard and was suddenly shocked to notice that there was long green grass in their yard! When had the grass turned green? There is so little in the way of lawns here that it had slipped right by me. Only then, did I pay attention to the advanced state of the leaves on the trees. I really should head up into the hills to enjoy the coming of fall.

But if I go, I'll watch out for those chestnts; forewarned is forearmed!

Meilleurs vœux!