Northern Autumn Begins

A new season crept over Atlanta today. It began with the usual soft breeze, dry air, and beautiful sky. The big difference this year is an expected high temperature of 92 and its persistence deep into the  coming week.  It's what I call the beginning of our endless Fall and it's one of the events I most enjoy here in north Georgia. It usually stays with us well past Thanksgiving which means Christmas has a tendency to sneak up on you. I had an even harder time with it in Savannah where fall colors usually "peaked" in January if at all. In any case I'm already thinking about the possibility of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners on the patio, events that have occurred more often than you'd expect during my 47 years of living in Georgia.

With an unblemished week of beautiful weather behind us we expect it will continue into October. Other than shortening days and cooler nights about the only sign of seasonal change on the patio and around the house is the singular blooms that have replaced summer's clusters of color.

As we enter the harvest cycle I am reminded of the bounty of nature we enjoy regardless of the season. And that reminds me of the calander and in particular the Napoleonic Calendar born in the spirit of the French Revolution and the romantic movement that followed. It's composed of ten day weeks, twelve months of thirty days, and assorted extra days to add up to the essential number, 365/6. Yes, it was a confusing time piece. On the other hand, using seasonal events, plant and animal names, and farming implements to label the days and months made the calendar a work of art. This day may be a Sunday in Atlanta but in 1800 in Paris the day was Raisin.

Here in the next 29 days is a vivid picture of the season:

Safran (Saffron)

Chataignes (Chestnut)

Colchique (Autumn Crocus)

Cheval (Horse)

Balsamine (Yellow Balsam)

Carrotes (Carrots)

Amaranthe (Amaranth)

Panais (Parsnip)

Cuve (Tub)

Pommes de terre (Potatoes)

Immortelle (Strawflower)

Potiron (Giant Pumpkin)

Reseda (Mignonette)

Ane (Donkey)

Belle de nuit (Marvel of Peru)

Citroville (Summer Pumpkin)

Sarrazin (Buckwheat)

Touresol (Sunflower)

Pressoir (Wine-Press)

Chanvre (Hemp)

Peches (Peaches)

Navets (Turnip)

Amarillis (Amaryllis)

Boeuf (Cattle)

Aubegine (Eggplant)

Piment (Chile Pepper)

Tomate (Tomato)

Orge (Barley)

Tonneau (Barrel)

I think Vendemiaire provides us a comforting association with a different time and place, a pre-industrial existence where we can easily recognize ourselves as part of nature and not separate from it. That's as it should be. This is the season to be close to the earth and its harvest that sustains us through the cold and dark months to come. Welcome to Fall and the grape harvest. Let us enjoy it whether it be early or late.








Sources:

Photos and Illustrations:
Wikipedia entry: Vendemiaire, author unknown, National Library and Bureau of Measures,

Text:
Fondation Napoleon, www.napoleon.org