(Photograph of “Fall Leaf” by Sharon Duffield)
Why is autumn called FALL in the United States and Canada? The answer is so simple and logical… but amazingly most of us don’t know the answer. Fall, of course, is the time of year when leaves naturally detach from the branches of deciduous trees–during the transition from Summer to winter–and gently “fall” to the ground or they get stripped away from the trees by strong gusts of wind! So we call this season “FALL”.
YES! That is the actual answer given in encyclopedias. So think of “Fall” as the nickname American English-speakers have given to Autumn.
(Scientifically, leaves must detach from deciduous trees to protect the tree’s fluids and sugars from freezing in the cold winter weather. These fluids and sugars are moved into the insulated warmer trunks of the trees.)
Autumn’s orange, red, green, and yellow colors–together with the refreshing cool air–define this time of transition season from summer to winter. Walking under these colorful leaf canopies is one of life’s simple pleasures!
Then, in the Fall, there’s also football! The chilly weather is the perfect climate for American football, that season. pitting rival teams against each other. From middle school, through high school, on through college, and the NFL–football season attracts a whole cast of characters, the “raving fans”, marching bands, cheerleaders, pom-poms, drill teams, arm-chair quarterbacks, players, and coaches. All of this, including the chilly weather, is melded together into a uniquely American obsession–the sport of American Football.
Speaking of school, many of us completely hang on to the concept that Septembe is the beginning of our new calendar year. The seasons of our year are: First Day of School…The Holidays… Winter/Snow Days… Spring Break… Graduation to Next Grade or Commencement… Memorial Day marks the Beginning of Summer… SUMMER VACATION!… Back to School Clothes and Supplies Sales… Sadness–Summer is Ending… (and finally)… Labor Day marks the End of Summer and our year.
This was cemented in our minds from grade school through college and as parents of students–so it’s the lifecycle we live each year. Ask almost anyone, we plan our life starting with the Fall and ending with the last days of Summer. Likewise, January never feels like the beginning of a new year–but just like the dark, cold middle of the year it actually is. The holiday season is a highlight of any year starting with Thanksgiving and ending with the biggest party night of the year, then a recovery day of nothing but football!
Every year, when Fall comes, we love getting in the car on a sunny Sunday and going for a casual drive to look at all of the colors–windows down and with the crisp autumn wind on our arms and cheeks!
With this Fall 2022 Issue, ARTS & FOOD® SOCIETY has again published a wonderful selection of articles and information with this issue focused on Food.
Until later,
Jack Atkinson, Editor, and Publisher
ARTS&FOOD® MAGAZINE
Published by Jack Atkinson Studio LLC
(Cover Photo: “Fall Leaf” by Fine Art Photographer, Sharon Levy / Foliage photos by Jack Atkinson / ‘It’s Fall, Play Ball” art by Miller Family Woodcrafts, eBay)
CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE – AN EASY WAY TO SEE WHAT’S HERE!
(Don’t forget there are hundreds of back issue articles accessible in our archive.)
