Happy new year – it’s Fall

OK, Ok, I know it’s just early September. But to me, autumn is in the air. Sure it’s still hot in the deep South. But there is a tinge of lower temperatures, leaves are slightly turning and we are witnessing a finality of harvest. Yes fall is close at hand. And that means we have a whole host of new beginnings.

It’s a new school year for our kids and grandkids where we can share their excitement of new schools, new school books, new teachers, and new discoveries. What a thrill as a grandparent to witness my grandkids making new encounters and growing in their relationships with both old and new friends. Even though I feel I was a pretty good father to my four children, grandkids give us a second chance.

And some brand new beginnings for football, football, and football. We all have high hopes for our favorite teams as the season kicks off. Unfortunately, our LSU Tigers are off to rough start with a close loss in its opening game. But there are many more Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium.

Yes, college football is special both here in Louisiana and all over the country. Every school is often unique, with its own pageantry, traditions, cheers and songs, and the rivalries that often go back many years. No matter how bad the season was for your favorite team last year, it’s a new start and a fresh beginning with high hopes.

As a sidenote, let me tell you how insane and moneygrubbing college football has become. This is a real first too. Do you know that some colleges outfit all of the players’ helmets with a QR code where you can point your phone camera at the helmet, click a link, and then send money to a special NIL fund? So you can sit in a restaurant 1000 miles away, and support your team’s players by pouring in the dollars. Just a new year and a new way to money grub for these players who are no longer amateurs, but have become just as much a pro as the players in the NFL. Ah, the new world we live in.

One thing I miss is the turning of the leaves and the beautiful fall colors you see in other parts of the country. We have a family home up in the North Carolina mountains, and changing of the colors is just spectacular. It’s almost like a painter who takes his brush and paints each leaf a different color all over the mountains, surrounding us by a natural carpet of oranges, purples, yellows and browns.

I must admit I’m cold natured, and wear sweaters all year round. But it’s a special treat to put on heavier sweaters and warmer clothes. And open fires. Can you beat curling up in front of a roaring fire with a cup of hot chocolate, maybe apple cider or a hot toddy while the young ones roast marshmallows?

How about the special seasonal foods? Now I’m a pie guy. I like blueberry, cherry, and most any other kind of pies. But hands-down, at the top of the list, is pumpkin pie. My favorite is baked by my sister-in-law, but I have to admit the pumpkin pies at Costco’s are a close second. Their tasty pumpkin pie is simply orange heaven on a plate.

September arrives and a full, new season begins, I always anticipate the upcoming holidays with our families where we can often spend more time together. I love Halloween, seeing all the kids dressing up in their favorite costumes, and the bobbing of caramel apples. I just cannot back away from those caramelized goodies.

Then we come head long into the trilogy of holidays beginning with Thanksgiving, then reaching the Christmas milestone and culminating in New Year’s. So much crammed into the few short months of autumn. This week, a special time begins. It’s a Southerner’s reward for having survived summer. I sure hope you are ready to soak it all in. So Happy New Year.

Peace and Justice
Jim Brown