When the days start getting shorter and the winter coats come out of storage, my favourite time of the year is upon us. My #AutumnRituals kick off with making difficult (but fun) choices...
Nestled comfortably in between International Chocolate Day (which you should know is held on September 13th), and National Maple Syrup Day (December 17th), Autumn is that time of year where it is never too hot, and never too cold. And ohh, and the lovely smells. Think pumpkins and cinnamon and the smell of smoke from the chimney. Remember the smell of fallen leaves that you used to relish in jumping upon when you were a child. And the crisp and fresh aroma of the night that you went out for trick or treats.
Autumn is a cunning muse who steals by degrees my warmth and light. So distracted by her glorious painting of colors, I scarcely realize my losses until the last fiery leaf has fallen to the ground and the final pumpkin shrinks. Autumn departs with a cold kiss, leaving me to suffer the frigid grasp of winter in prolonged nightfall. - Richelle E. Goodrich
I would venture to guess that if you take a moment to think about it, you can recall perhaps hundreds of Autumn scents that bring you joy. It is probably the single most part of the year which bestows these magical scents upon us. Spring has it too. but as things are getting warmer and opportunities to go out occur more frequently, we notice the particular scents of the season a little less.
Of course Christmas and winter have their unique smells, as does the summertime - with its smell of freshly mown grass. But Autumn is unique in that, as thing get colder, your senses (all of them) wake up just a little bit more.
Pretty much everyone remembers the smell of a campfire, the trees readying to sleep, the smell of old linen being pulled out of summer storage or hot chocolate after a chilly day out.
To some, Autumn is melancholy, to others, a magical time of year that brings rain, the smell of decomposing leaves and wool mittens. All humans project their own version of aesthetics of Autumn, when in fact this season with it’s life fading away, is probably one of the most exciting when it comes to aromas.