The Spice Must Flow....

         

         The joke around the house is just how much I despise going back to school after my summer off. It’s been even worse this past break because we have gone back about a week and half earlier. The first two weeks are pretty rough for all of us as I transition back to early mornings, having to eat breakfast and wear long pants with shoes. My moodiness abounds, I am a bit ashamed to admit (and I have the market cornered on moody!)

            About a week into the summer to school transition, Kim and I were chatting about how she survives this situation. The answer surprised me:

            “I just remind myself that while you are brooding over Summer Robby being gone, pretty soon you switch over to Fall Robby who morphs into Christmas Robby.”

            I had never made that connection but it’s right on the money. I love fall. Autumn is probably my favorite of all the seasons. The weather gets cool enough for long sleeves over t-shirts (my preferred mode of fashion), boiled peanuts with UGA football, and I start my famous –in-my-own-mind-Chili-making Season, Of course the a/c bill drops while all the grocery Stores smell like cinnamon. The best also means I start planning Little Man’s and my Halloween costume, start getting ready to decorate the house with spookiness, and Murder Cake will soon make his return.  BHWAHHHAAAHHHH!!!!!

            Getting ready for fall actually leaves me a bit giddy because after that comes Thanksgiving which is a whole other set of planning. (I take turkey making very serious) along with pre-pre-Christmas planning. Kim and I already scoped out the Hallmark store for this year’s Christmas Ornaments. I have already picked out Roni’s which is this year’s Star Wars Character ornament, The Ewoks.

Yeah, I know, but it’ my daughter and she loves those
damn Ewoks so I make the exception….I also saw the Clark Griswold ornament where he is plugging the Xmas lights and the Halleluiah Chorus. I really hope Kim and the kids surprise me with that one.

            Any way back to fall. I am pretty psyched. Probably more than I should be but that is just how I get. While making my six fortyish in the Gd am commute to school last week, the notion hit me that pretty soon Starbucks will unveil their Pumpkin Spice Latte and Hot Cider/Carmel drinks. Cue drool glands and Homer Simpson sounds…..

            No sooner had I began occasional letting the Pumpkin Spice flavor permeate my thoughts when I came across a pretty interesting thread by my old YHC buddy and a bit of a mentor, Steve “Saigon” Davenport ranted about on Facebook. He has a great blog and a cool fly fishing lure store here:

“Saturday Afternoon Rant...Since when did the coming of fall require that everything imaginable come pumpkin-flavored? Jenna was absolutely giddy to get a pumpkin-spice latte the other day. This morning someone posted a picture of pumpkin-spice cheesecake. This afternoon at the grocery store there was something pumpkin flavored on almost every aisle...even the beer aisle. How many pumpkin ales do we really need? Personally I'm good with none! Give me a slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving (heavy on the Cool Whip and hold the nutmeg please) and I'm good for the year! Of course, YMMV...”

 

Just for you, Saigon

            Saigon brought up a great point. September arrives and the whole world seems to turn to pumpkin spice almost like the sand worms from Frank Herbert’s Dune have their own fall festival. Kim and I were at the grocery store and I came 3 different brands of pumpkin ale where a few years ago I could find one and that was searching at World Market. Our favorite product to consider taking a chance on was these but we decided to be weight conscious and just walked away.

            So why do we seem to freak out about the notion of fall and pumpkin spice? I am so thrilled at the moment but I also recognize that come October’s end, I’ll be so done with it. Once again, my wife figures it out perfectly.

            Saigon’s FB rant has been the source of ongoing conversation all day especially during our weekly Kroger shopping trip. Over cocktails after putting away the groceries, Kim suggested this tidbit.” Pumpkin spice is a lot like that first daiquiri of the summer. You haven’t had in a while and it tastes so good at first but eventually you get tired of it then Christmas comes with all those great flavors.”

            My lovely wife has a good point. One can easily argue the commercial appeal on the flavor of pumpkin spice but I think it’s something a little bit more. I honestly believe that as a people most folks are a little afraid of change but the idea of a certain flavor being attached to a certain season makes the shift a little easier and somehow special.  No one ever wants to order Hot Caramel and Sea Salt Cider on the Fourth of July with burgers and dogs but it sure makes sense in the fall.

            We’re one week into September and I already made the kids my pumpkin spice pancakes this morning (mainly because I couldn’t really find anything else to throw in).  I have no doubts I’ll be ordering one of those Lattes this week as I make my daily Starbucks run as well as probably getting a pumpkin muffin or bread too. I’ve already got my Pumpkin Ale flavor picked out from the Growler store downtown. (It’s called Pum-King from South Tier Brewery) It’s just all part of the process as we make the transition from summer to fall. And just about the time I get sick of the bread, the candy, and the flavored coffees, I ‘ll begin to realize that it’s just about time for Carnation to come out with its Christmas Gingerbread flavored Creamer and the cycle continues…..