Autumn is awesome

Editor's note: Another column owned by the Times Record News.

Celebrating the autumn season in 95 degree heat doesn't work.

Recently my Japanese cellular phone, which is preprogrammed to alert me of calendar holidays, displayed "autumn equinox." I was happy for the reminder since I certainly couldn't predict the seasonal change on my own. The weather was hot and sunny. The perfect conditions for a day at the beach – not chilly enough for hot apple cider or a sweatshirt for an evening football game.

Instead this handy reminder in my mobile reminded me of something more emotional: I miss autumn.

Autumn is my favorite time of year, especially if I'm living north of Interstate 80. I'm a big believer in taking a long Sunday drive in October so you can “watch” the leaves morph from boring green to vibrant red. I adore any culinary treat that is pumpkin flavored, including the pumpkin scones at Starbucks. And this time of year is the best time of year to make a batch of chili so you don't go hungry watching college football on Saturdays.

Autumn is awesome.

But duplicating the traditions of a Midwest fall season is a lost cause.

When I lived in Wichita Falls, I was fairly bummed by the diminished fall colors until I saw the trick or treaters. See in the Midwest, specifically northern states such as Iowa, it is not uncommon to receive winter's first dusting on the evening for ghosts and goblins. It is common to have a cold constant rain, so children wear their jackets while begging for candy. Not the most delightful of situations. This said, I appreciated the mild temperatures of autumn in northern Texas.

Then my husband and I moved to Yuma, Arizona. In this desert climate without trees for miles, I was really homesick for apple bobbing and pumpkin carving. And I wasn't the only one. Several of us reporters held a jack 'o lantern carving evening. We were pretty proud of our accomplishments. We complimented each other's pumpkin as we ate the roasted seeds. The event was a success until the next morning when I checked my pumpkin. It caved in and started to rot overnight on the patio. That night I learned an important lesson. Jack 'o lanterns are best in locations where nighttime temperatures hover near freezing. I didn't attempt to carve a pumpkin the following year.

In California, I was finished with fall. I simply mocked the sweaters, scarves and gloves on sale at my local Target. Surely, there wasn't a reason for winter wear when the temperature never dips below 55 degrees.

This October I didn't know what to expect, so I've kept my expectations low.

The base exchange, our on-base department store, put up a small display for costumes, wigs and makeup. But it was the seasonal display of autumn scented candles that caught my nose. Maybe my love for autumn was encased in wax and I could return to it by striking a match.

Being an Iowa farm girl, I first put my nose inside a candle named “Harvest” with maize pictured on the label. No bad, but a bit earthy for my home. Too much dirt smell, in my opinion. I opened the Autumn Wreath jar. Again, not quite right. The Frosted Pumpkin candle was a bit too sweet and without enough pumpkin to keep me happy.

Then I found it, the perfect autumn scent.

It was called Spiced Pumpkin. It was the smell my memory has been missing. This candle is my taste of home in Okinawa. It's my bit of autumn.

I guess I haven't given up on creating an artificial autumn in Japan.