Autumn
A Prelude to Winter
The Season of Misty Fruitfulness

For most people Labor Day signals the end of summer. Farewell BBQs and parties are held to say goodbye to summer. For me, Labor Day signals the beginning of fall. My celebration is to say hello to a season I love. A season full of activity and excitement. It is no secret I am not a big fan of Summer, so it can go!

I look forward to cooler weather, the end of allergy season, harvest festivals, bonfires, and Halloween. In September I experience my Autumn Awakening.

It is time to start clearing the garden. The task of "taking down" the garden is always bittersweet. The plants have provided food and their cycle of life is at an end. The flowers that last until the frost provide that last bit of color to an otherwise empty garden.

It is time to start preparing the plants on the porch for their move indoors. Trimming back the unruly growth, cleaning the pots, and making sure there are no inhabitants concealed within the foliage becomes a kind of ritual. Then to find a spot to put them all inside.

It is time to gather seeds, pods, nuts, grains, and dried grasses to use for fall decorating. Bittersweet, sumac and rosehips join pumpkins and gourds for seasonal and holiday displays.

It is time for hikes and picnics, hunting and hayrack rides, and a feast for the senses.

The sights of Autumn.
browns, golds, oranges, reds, muted greens
fall foliage color changes
softer light the blue-est sky
amazing sunsets
a stormy,slate blue, windswept sky
foggy mornings
early snows
the glow of burning candles
roadside stands with a rainbow of produce
falling acorns and pinecones
a golden Renaissance richness

The smells of Autumn.
renewed freshness in the air
the scent of a fireplace or woodstove
burning leaves
bread baking

The feel of Autumn.
the changes in the air
the HOT heat is over
the bone chilling cold is still in the future
invigorating temperatures
warm days and cool nights
Indian Summer
the first frost
the drawing in of the nights
crisp air void of humidity
cool mornings are for snuggling
cozy sweaters
extra quilts on the bed
wearing long sleeves
the cats are getting their winter coats

The sounds of Autumn.
the sound of the shuffling crunchy leaves on the ground
the wind playing with the leaves
football games with cheering fans
geese headed south

The tastes of Autumn.
baking with apples
hot apple cider
caramel apples
a cup of hot tea on a chilly morning
bubbling pots of homemade soups and stews
fresh baked bread
bonfire roasted hot dogs and marshmellows
spicy pumpkin treats

"This is a time of transition, when earth energy inspires us to enfold, protect, layer and wrap. It reminds us of the value of hearth and home as we focus inside awhile and prepare our nest for the winter. Autumn brings a renewed sense of purpose and focus to our work." ~ Felice Willat

Boldly Go

If you were about 5 or 6 in 1966, then your first really good sci-fi adventure was with Captain Kirk aboard the Starship Enterprise. High drama on the final frontier - outer space. The gadgets and tools they had were the stuff of fantasy. We dreamed of having them all.

The most fantastical was the Transporter. It disassembled your molecules and then reassembled you somewhere esle. Scottie could send someone anywhere and get them back again.

The Phaser was a great weapon. It could be set to stun or kill depending on the situation. Sulu and Chekov could escape from unknown attackers by stunning them, or save the mission by vaporizing the evil space monsters.

Dr. McCoy, a.k.a. Bones, had his Tricorder. The perfect medical device. It could diagnose and recommend treatment with a simple scan. It tell everything from temperature to blood chemistry without needles or knives.

But the Communicator was what really saved them most of the time. If they didn’t have the Communicator they would not have been able to give Scottie their coordinates so he could beam them back to the Enterprise when things got out of hand. This magic gadget was a pocket sized 2 way communication device that flipped open to talk. It worked anywhere. Even in outer space! I remember thinking what a great invention that would be if only it could be real.

In 1966 we hadn’t even seen the last of party lines. Not even everyone had a phone in their home. And those who did had big, black, primitive, ones. They were wired to the wall, had bells inside, and a dial that turned and clicked as it spun back. They were solid though and heavy. You could use that receiver as a weapon if faced with an intruder! Long distance was miraculous and no one minded the static on the line.

Improvements in technology made it easier and clearer to talk on the phone. We were freed from sitting still when cordless phones came along. They were small and lightweight and we could take them anywhere and never miss a call - as long as we stayed within range, and the power stayed on.

Complete liberation came in the form of cellular phones. Even those were a far off acquisition for most people in the beginning. Only the rich and famous had a car phone in the 70's. But over the years we have quickly moved from bag phones and bulky cell phones to today’s compact styles and blue tooth technology.
Modern telephones have evolved from telegraph to fiber optics to satellite and microwaves. We can easily talk to people all over the world, anytime. With a Communicator now in nearly every pocket, purse, or backpack, how far are we from a single weapon that would provide lethal and non-lethal delivery for military and law enforcement, or a comprehensive hand held medical scanner that would revolutionize health care?

"Beam me up Scottie"



Note: Wah Ming Chang created several futuristic props for Star Trek including the Communicator which inspired Martin Cooper's research on mobile telephony.