New in Town

Fall has always been my favorite season. Sure, the warm sunshine and lazy days of summer are fun, full of blooming gardens, tasty barbecues and wonderful days at the beach I love it, dont get me wrong but autumn takes the bright, loud, sweaty sights and smells of summer and adds a complex twist. Its a mellower, quieter season. The light shifts; the air is crisp; the leaves change.

It rains. Youd think in a state like Oregon, wed all get sick of the rain. But after a dry summer, rain is often a welcome change.

At this time of year, when the seasons are intertwined in the slow dance of transition, sometimes a short shower is quickly followed by a blue-sky summer day. Though its a harbinger of whats to come, you can also revel in it. The smell of warm, wet pavement can be refreshing. Sometimes I stop in my tracks and just breathe. If you happen to go on a hike or even a short foray into the forest, notice the effect of water: the woody smell of wet pine needles, the dripping branches of the sheltering canopy, the life that surrounds you.

Something I love about fall is of course the food. Im starting to see winter squash in the store: acorn, butternut, spaghetti squash. Apples are ripening. Recently I made a pumpkin smoothie at home, a wonderful taste of the coming season. At the same time, right now were still enjoying the fruits of late summer: zucchini and tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. The farmers markets are full of produce (and so is my weekly CSA box).

A few weeks ago I went blueberry picking on the Long Beach Peninsula. Cranguyma Farms, located at Sandridge Road and 113th Lane, offers U-Pick blueberries from its 60-year-old blueberry patch or orchard, as you might call it, since the bushes are often more than six feet tall. The farm also cultivates seven different varieties, so you can find ripe berries from July to October.

My first visit this season was late on a gray and misty Saturday afternoon. My friend and I walked from bush to bush, selecting fresh, ripe berries. As our containers filled to the brim, a soft, gentle rain drizzled down on our heads. The ground was wet, the farm calm and close to empty. My second visit, a week later, showcased an opposite weather pattern. Blue sky reigned above, and I came away with sunburned shoulders. Some fellow U-Pickers used step ladders to reach the choicest berries. I contented myself with the lower branches.