The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting cooler. With the passing of the rainy season, it is sunny and clear most days, but our morning bike ride to school now requires a jacket and there have been a couple of mornings that I should have worn mittens as well. Is it horrible of me to say that I kind of miss the Seattle rain that normally marks the season for me? We are so far south, here in Yunnan, that the mild temps and sunny days don’t seem quite right. There is one lone tree outside of our window that is changing colors and dropping its leaves. As for the rest, either they are just turning brown or they will remain green throughout the winter.
Without the Western commercial push into Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, I feel like I have entered holiday no man’s land: Halloween has come and gone without much notice and Thanksgiving I fear will do the same. We have entered November and there has been little of the holiday anticipation that I love so much. In an attempt to feel as fall-ish as possible in a country without stores full of autumn decorations, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, changing leaves, or even pumpkin spice lattes, I have managed to acquired a few things that remind me of my favorite season:
1. Colorful leaves from the lone changing tree. I have them scattered on a side table in our living room
2. Pumpkin/gourd type things from our vegetable market that are meant to be eaten, but instead are displayed around my house (our Bao Mu thinks we are crazy, I’m sure, for scattering food items around the living room)
3. Fall napkins from Judi (Thanks, Judi!)
4. Candy corn from my Mom and Dad (I practically had to wrestle the bag out of Eric’s hands- he swears they were meant only for him, despite the fact they arrived in a birthday package to me)
5. Pumpkin Spice flavored syrup. This was a birthday gift from Kevin and Emma. Emma managed to find a bottle here in Kunming so I can make my own pumpkin spice lattes!
6. I haven’t gathered them yet, but I hope to find some branches around the Xiao Qu to put in a vase on our table
Fall is here, I just have to embrace that it is a little different than I am used to.
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| My fall decorating. The roses were a birthday gift from Eric. |
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| So pretty. |
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| Halloween is not a Chinese holiday, but these students from the neighborhood English preschool are out celebrating! |
I like that pumpkin looking thing. I wish I could find some of those here. I haven't read your blog for a few weeks, it was good to catch up on it again. I can't wait to come!!!!
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