There's a definite chill in the air

With the arrival of October, there's a whole new spirit in the air. After last Thursday's rain, cooler weather has moved in and it's a little nippy when we start our morning routine.

Everywhere we look there are splashes of color. Sumac leaves along the roadside have turned a deep red and all the branches are loaded with berries. Sassafras trees in the fence row have put on bright shades of yellow and orange. Roadside vendors are displaying potted mums and piles of plump pumpkins.

I enjoyed going out west of town with Jim Thursday afternoon when he went to check on a job on Georgia Flats Road. It began raining about the time we began our return trip and it had turned into a real downpour by the time we reached home. We sat in a car a few minutes and waited out the rain, which was punctuated with a few hailstones, before making a run to the house.

We drove to Maysville on Friday morning, where Jim helped a friend put metal siding on the back porch he'd recently enclosed. I took along a couple of magazines and read in the pickup, walked to the pasture to photograph a pair of friendly horses and another of frisky goats, then shared some good conversation and a couple of cups of strong coffee with the lady of the house.

That evening we picked up grandson Matthew and took him with us to Lion Stadium for the evening's football game with the Prairie Grove Tigers. Although we'd dressed in several layers of clothing, the chill began to get more uncomfortable after the sun went down. Since the Tigers were giving us a pretty good shellacking, we went home around the end of the third quarter and listened for the final score on the evening news. A warming cup of hot chocolate helped soften the blow.

Saturday morning Jim decided it was time to make some preparations for the change in seasons. After breakfast he removed the air conditioner from the front window and stored it in the shop. Then he turned our gas on out at the meter and mixed up a small container of soapy water to test for leaks around each stove. Finding none, he lit the stove in the living room that evening and chased the chill off before bedtime. He also disconnected a wire on the ceiling fan in the dining room so it wouldn't keep coming on each time we turned on the light. He tried to repair a brake light that was out on the car but that project wasn't quite so successful. Even after buying and installing a new bulb, we're still seeking a solution.

While Jim was working on projects at home, I made a trip to the farmers' market. I'd skipped my outings there for a couple of weeks because of other commitments, so I'd missed visiting with my friends there and needed to stock up again on fresh veggies. I admired a new display featuring my recent story on the community gardens and bought a packet of marigold seed from the gardens. My other purchases were Malabar spinach, a box of string beans, a box of okra to slice and fry and a half dozen green peppers which I will stuff.

When I came home from a meeting Saturday afternoon, Jim had started a pot of beans and ham. He used a combination of pintos and red beans so we had to wait a bit longer for the red beans to get tender, but it was worth the wait. I baked a pan of cornbread and the meal was one of those feel-good suppers for chilly nights. It seems that especially in the fall we're happiest when there's a hearty casserole browning in the oven or a homey stew simmering on the back burner.

Those old favorite dishes we call comfort foods are known for packing lots of TLC into every bite. Perhaps they're connected with fond memories of past events or positive associations with a particular loved one. With a little imagination, we can add a new twist to some of the old standbys. Add chopped ham and mixed veggies to the kids favorite macaroni and cheese for a more substantial meal. Treat the adults by adding green chilies to the meatloaf and some chipotle peppers and cheddar cheese to the mashed potatoes. Make your spaghetti and meatballs more nourishing with the addition of some chunks of zucchini. You may even create a surprising new favorite.

Susan Holland is a reporter for the Westside Eagle Observer and a longtime Gravette resident. She may be contacted by email at [email protected].