Autumn in Beijing....

.....doesn't quite have the same ring, or feel for that matter.

What Fall is................

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. To be fair, I say that of every season, because there are parts of every season that I absolutely love, and that change is always nice.

Fall, to me, is a new start (having been a student and then, a teacher, fall is basically my new year). A new chance to build new habits at school, and a way to start off ahead (and not behind on deadlines!). It also tends to be when I make new friends and start new relationships. This year has not been an exception in those regards.

But, equally as important, fall is also pumpkin farms, apple picking, cinnamon, apple cider, hay rack rides, taffy apples, bon fires with friends, camping and hiking, s'mores, crunching through fallen leaves,  jumping in leaf piles, gorgeous and vibrant colors, brisk, crisp, clear air, leaving the window cracked at night so you can snuggled extra under the covers when you wake up to a crisp breeze in the morning, that juxtaposition of feeling the warm sunshine on your face, but the brisk breeze on your back, Friday night and Saturday afternoon football games, marching bands, homecomings, cooking with squash, pumpkin carving, Halloween costumes, craft fairs, fond memories of decorating the house for Halloween with my family, parties (no really, this is what fall is in my life)......

What fall isn't.......

 

I was told October was the best month in Beijing.....low pollution, great, crisp weather.....just lovely.

Thus far, it hast been mostly high pollution, and kind of dreary. Today is one of the few lovely days, and as soon as I'm done writing this, I'm off on a bike ride....and then grocery shopping.

Shopping in an attempt to make it feel like fall. Thus far, I have not found a pumpkin, or even imported pumpkin in a can (which I would pay waaay too much for at this point....to make a fall treat!) I also have had trouble finding cinnamon....which makes my morning oatmeal, and my breakfast craving taste-buds, sad.

There are also no fallen leaves, no vibrant oranges and reds, and until late this morning, there hasn't been much of that crisp, lively air.

And in case you were wondering, there are, in fact, no marching bands.....and while football abounds....it is the soccer kind (which I do happen to enjoy), and not the pigskin kind. Let me be clear, I actually don't like football (gasp!) and can get into watching it only from time to time, if the game "matters" or is really exciting (Tie game, 40 seconds left, if my team wins, they go to some fancy bowl game, which means I get a free trip with the band!). I have learned, through all of my years of playing in, and then directing, marching bands, to deal with, and even enjoy, football....but I'd never choose to watch it on TV. Going to a live game.....totally different story. There is something electric about the atmosphere, and it is, for me, a trigger of literally thousands of happy memories (most involved doing something other than actually watching the football game- but enjoying the atmosphere none-the-less). Also, live football = live marching band.

How it feels......

 

 

I may have digressed. My point is that......., it just FEELS WEIRD.....because it is mid-October, but basically everything that I associate with fall is just not here. This is causing me confusion as to what time of the year it is, for sure, but beyond that, it is drastically increasing my homesickness, and this kind of feeling of "missing out".

I am not one to stay down and out. I will say this- this morning, I snuggled in the cool air while reading a book. Now, I'm off on a bike ride and a shopping adventure. 

If I can find some cinnamon and a squash or two....maybe even a pumpkin!....in my shopping quest today...I think I can come out on top. And I promise to post a picture of the fall treat I make!


**************Update*************

I found pumpkins......well....at least....the Chinese version of pumpkins....really large orange (and sometimes green) squash.....but I did pick up a couple small ones to make pie, and a big one to carve (though I have as yet to carve it)

 Whilst out shopping, I discovered that "Sutter Home", a cheap and not so great wine back home...is actually the expensive stuff here. That made me laugh a bit.....if they are going to bother with imports, you'd think they'd at least try for something good.

And finally.....as I was biking about, enjoying a beautiful fall day, I happened upon a little Chinese neighborhood. I actually don't know what to call it....neighborhood isn't the right word- shanty town actually seems like the best, albeit saddest, description. Anyhow, there were these puppies.....I tried to play with them, but their Mama was very protective. I wasn't quite sure if they belonged to anyone or not....but at least they had a mama dog, so after some coaxing, playing, pictures, I continued on my way home to bake pumpkin pie.

I did manage to bake pumpkin pie....but I had to improvise a bit, since I did not have measuring utensils (forgot I didn't have those while I was shopping, or I would have picked them up). I also did not have ground cinnamon or nutmeg, since I couldn't find those things at the store. I tried to bake it anyway, but after about 30-40 minutes, my oven kept blowing a fuse. I learned that I apparently cannot run my oven, refridgerator, and internet all at the same time, because it will blow a fuse. I blew the fuse at least 10 times before I was satisfied that my pie was probably actually cooked...oh China.