Author L.M. Montgomery famously wrote, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”
October is one of the best months of the year. For me, the month conjures up memories of old fall traditions. It is the month of leaves, football and pumpkins.
Every October nature puts on a show of fall colors. Albert Camus said that “autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.” In Mississippi these colors are not as vibrant as places like New England. Pine trees are plentiful in Mississippi and limit the amount of fall colors that we see; however, you can still enjoy brilliant fall colors if you look hard enough. River banks are often ideal places for fall color because the colors reflect off the water and magnify the experience. River bottoms tend to have fewer pine trees and an abundant number of grandly colored hardwood trees. A walk through the woods, admiring the patchwork quilt of fall colors, can be good for the soul. Leaves change colors due to weather changes like temperature and rainfall, so some years the fall colors are brilliant and other years more muted, but even the more muted years are enjoyable.
My favorite native trees for fall colors are red maples, walnuts, black tupelos and tulip poplars. Although not a native tree, the ginkgo tree imported from China has beautiful golden yellow leaves in the fall. Town Square Park in downtown Hattiesburg has a ginkgo tree that puts on a stunning display every fall. Check it out if you are downtown in the fall.
The month of October is a great month for sports fans. It is the only month of the year when all four major American sports, football, baseball, basketball and hockey are playing. The month is the heart of football season. For many high schools and colleges, it is time for homecoming football games. The Major League Baseball playoffs are played every October, and the month ends with the World Series, affectionately known as the Fall Classic. The World Series has been played since 1903 and is one of the oldest and greatest traditions in American sports.
October is great for seasonal food. It is apple season, pumpkin season, peanut season, sweet potato season and squash season. It is also time for a variety of popular pies, including pecan pie, sweet potato pie, apple pie and pumpkin pie. Peanuts are my favorite fall snack. As a kid I remember getting a bag of peanuts before every Southern Miss home football game. Back then, there was no prohibition against bringing in outside food or drinks into M.M. Roberts Stadium, so our family used to buy boiled or roasted peanuts from an “outside-the-stadium peanut vendor” and take them in with us.
Many people like candy corn during this time of year. I have never acquired a taste for the sugary, triangle-shaped orange, yellow and white candy. For me it is just too sweet, but many people eagerly await its return every fall. Affection for candy corn is somewhat generational. Candy corn was once the king of Halloween candy in America, but it now has greater competition from chocolate candy.
My favorite October tradition is carving Halloween pumpkins. It may be the most quintessential fall activity. As a kid our family jack-o-lanterns were very simple – usually just circles or half circles for eyes and a triangle for a nose. The biggest question was whether to make the teeth in a square pattern or a zig-zag pattern. Today, pumpkins are carved with modern carving kits and put those old simple jack-o-lanterns to shame. The tradition of the jack-o-lantern was brought to America by Irish immigrants. Back in Ireland, turnips were carved at Halloween, but Irish immigrants found out that the American pumpkins make for easier carving. I’m glad they switched from turnips to pumpkins.
October is a great time of the year. Enjoy your favorite fall traditions and activities this year.
Keith Ball is an attorney and lifelong resident of the Friendly City.
