Monkey Weddings & Summer Sapphires

Maple, birch, elm and oak are aglow with their changing foliage colors.  Evolving over the course of two months, slowly at first, they transform from jade to pale gold as the weather remains mild and we are still able to enjoy the last of outdoor dinners. As the days grow cooler, the colors of the leaves intensify to shades of crimson and the daylight becomes an enchanting golden hue.

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Our cat Harry comes in again at night, preferring the warmth of indoors and our bed, as the nights start getting cold. The giant maple tree at our front door, tints everything in the house pink. The sumac trees all over the city show off their thick spires of crimson fruit, that we collect for a sour, addition to our fall cocktails and slow roasted lamb, their fern-like leaves have turned burned orange. The burning bushes (euonymus alatus) all over Halifax stand in stark contrast to the faded summer foliage. I pick the last of the goldenrod, pale mauve fox glove and burning bush foliage for the Thanksgiving table.

Thanksgiving is a feast of deliciousness and mostly a standard repertoire developed over the years. Roasted turkey stuffed with my mother’s stuffing recipe, roasted lemon and garlic potatoes, rainbow carrots and brussel sprouts roasted in olive oil, cumin spiced butternut and for dessert there is always pumpkin pie and whipped cream and melktert (milk tart).