Seasons And Their Names

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The Names Of Our Seasons

Fall is here.

Slipping past the autumnal equinox, we now march headlong into cooler weather, sweaters and steaming cups of coffee.

Or, do you call it Autumn?

Why does this time of year have two names whilst the other seasons have only one?

Fall And Autumn

Before we had either Fall or Autumn, the season was called Harvest in England. This came from the Old Norse word haust, meaning to gather or pluck. However, in the 1600s, when more people moved into the cities, it fell out of favor. People no longer worked in the fields with the earth's rhythm of gathering the harvest.

In the 1540s, people started to use the poetic phrase Fall of the Leaf, referring to the falling leaves that they could see around them, even in the city. 

How lovely it would be to hear someone call out, "Aye, Fall of the Leaf is upon us and I best get busy knitting you that new scarf."

Fall Of The Leaf

Over time, Fall of the Leaf was shortened to just one word, Fall. Use of the word Fall became popular in the 17th century and traveled over to North America with emigrating pilgrims.

By the 16th century, the French exerted their influence with the word autumn, derived from the Old French – l'autompne. This, in turn, came from the Latin autumnus, which meant autumn.

Although Fall had its beginnings in England, the word Autumn took hold there in the 17th century and today the British primarily use the word Autumn. Fall is now used mostly in the United States.

However, some British have a bit of word-envy. The Fowler Brothers who wrote the book The King's English in 1906 had this to say about the word Fall:

“Fall is better on the merits than autumn, in every way: it is short, Saxon (like the other three season names), picturesque; it reveals its derivation to every one who uses it, not to the scholar only, like autumn.”
— The King's English
 

Spring And Lenten

Spring actually had another name in the 12th and 13th centuries. In Old English it was known as Lencten, meaning Spring, which derived from Anglo-Saxon. In Middle English, spring was called Lent or Lenten. 

In the Christian Church, Lent refers to the period of abstinence that was preparatory for the celebration of Easter. Lent, which originally meant spring, was gradually confined to this liturgical use.

By the 14th century, the season of spring became the Springing Time. In the 15th century, it became Spring-Time and eventually was shortened even more to Spring. 

Summer And Winter

Summer and winter don't seem to have many other names. Summer came from the Old English name, sumor. Winter derives from the Proto-Germanic word wentruz and this word, winter, has remained over time.

Name The Seasons

Lest the other seasons feel left out, I took it upon myself to create my own secondary names for winter, spring and summer. Like Fall and Spring, which are both a noun and a verb, I chose words that reflected a state of being and doing.

Winter – Burrow

Burrow – We burrow within the fallen leaves and plant our acorns and nuts to sustain us through the coming cold. We burrow into our sweaters and under our quilts. 

“Burrow is coming soon, does your coat from last Burrow still fit? Perhaps it’s time to buy a new one.”

Spring – Lift

Lift – the plants lift out of the earth. And we lift ourselves up after being huddled in the cold, and out of the darkness.

“I can’t wait for the warmth of Lift and to have longer days. It’s been a cold and bitter Burrow this year.”

Summer – Shine

Shine – the sun shines in full, bringing its life-giving light to one and all. Our produce shines with freshness. Our brows shine in the heat of the season.

“I love Shine because of all the fresh fruit and vegetables! Shine is a great time for canning and putting up preserves.”
 

These words have no historical background and originate only from my imagination.

What names would you make up to give the seasons?

As we delve into the richness of the Autumn harvest and celebrate the dropping leaves of Fall, which word do you use most to describe the season?

Fall or Autumn? 

Autumn Colors

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The Colors Of Fall

Fall has its own set of colors that fill our senses along with the smell of cool air and the sight of falling leaves.

It is a season that inspires us to turn within ourselves as we prepare for the darkness of winter and the task of keeping the flame burning bright.  We tender the light so that we may make it through the dark, long nights and find our way back into the growing light of spring.

Color Therapy In Our Clothes

Colors of autumn tend to be red, yellow and gold, orange and brown. Warm colors that wrap around us and comfort us during the cooler days and nights.  I find the colors of fall begin to exert their influence on me as the temperatures fall.

When I lived in Germany, where cool temperatures in fall are prominent, I noticed my blue sweaters didn't feel right in October. I had an urge to wrap myself in the rich colors of the earth as I moved through grey days and cold nights. It was as if I needed to apply color therapy to my clothes, so I could settle into my autumnal surroundings.

When I lived in Northern California, I was impatient for the cooler temperatures of fall which come much later in the year than in Germany. It's not until mid-November that the trees start to show their reds and yellows and mornings have that familiar chill.

Color In Fashion

It used to be that fashion etiquette dictated when we could wear certain colors. For example, white was not to be worn before Easter or after Labor Day. Pastels were not appropriate for fall or winter.

Nowadays, those restrictions seem to have disappeared into archaic dictates of the past. But perhaps there was some deeper meaning? Or was it simply a fashion style?

“Designers want me to dress like Spring, in billowy things.
I don’t feel like Spring.
I feel like a warm, red Autumn.”
— Marilyn Monroe
 

Do you find you sometimes need to shift the colors you are wearing based on the season?

Holiday Colors

The holidays of fall have their own colors. Halloween emphasizes the colors orange and black and this is seen in the many pumpkins and gourds. 

Thanksgiving colors are rich with the red of cranberries, the orange of pumpkin pies, the brown finish on our rolls and turkey skins and the yellow of our butternut squash.

Traditional colors for Christmas are the ripe red of holly berries and the primary green of our Christmas trees. 

As we move through the seasons, take a moment to notice if the colors have an affect on you.

What Is Your Favorite Color?

I used to say I have a favorite color. Now, I've come to realize that my color preferences change throughout the year, depending on the season. 

Do you have favorite shades and hues that reflect the season you're in?

 

The Season Of Fall

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Welcome To Fall

“The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night.”
The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator.”
 

The Autumnal Equinox

For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, it's time to welcome the fall equinox. We bid adieu to our summer harvest with its abundance of fruits and vegetables. Hot, lazy days become a thing of the past.

It's time to wave goodbye to our early morning light and long evenings of daylight. We prepare ourselves to wake up in the dark for work. Somehow it seems terribly uncivilized to have to get up before even the sun has agreed to do so.

Sweaters And Falling Leaves

While we miss the longer days and abundance of the farmers market, the cooler weather is welcomed as we snuggle into chunky sweaters. It's time to tuck into a big chair with a steaming cup of cinnamon-flavored tea. Time to enjoy the nip in the air as we warm our fingers on hot cups of coffee.

Activities take on a slow, bossa nova rhythm – a softer, more contemplative beat. Now we linger as we stroll on a path of falling leaves. Armed with a good book, we tuck ourselves into a corner of the couch. No need to feel guilty about it.

Fall Holidays And Pumpkins

Lots of holidays tumble into fall for our pleasurable participation. Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Hallowe'en, and Thanksgiving, just to name a few.

Pumpkins are everywhere. Jack o'lanterns, pumpkin pies and desserts, and gourds of all sizes populate our decorations. What's your favorite fall holiday?

Grey Skies, Brisk Winds

As we turn up our collars to rainy, foggy days of grey and the chill of longer nights, the fall equinox reminds us of the balance of light and dark in our own lives.

Keep your inner flame burning bright.