Pumpkin Spice, Vitamin D, and Hispanic Heritage

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”

The heat of summer is finally gone and the wind is cool. It’s not too hot and it’s not too cold. My favorite fall days are when the sun is shining and there is a crisp breeze. Fall nights are perfect for curling up with a good book or cuddling with your favorite person to watch a movie. Add a warm crackling fire and the evening is complete!

This Time of Year:

– The first day of fall is called the “autumnal equinox”, which means equal night. On this day, the number of hours of daylight equal the number of hours of night.

– During autumn the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are visible.

– According to the UK Department of Education, babies born in autumn excel in school.

– Autumn used to be called “harvest” because the moon closest to the autumn equinox is known as the harvest moon.

– The word “fall” was used in the 17th century to symbolize the “fall of the leaf.”

– During the fall, testosterone in both men and women is the highest, which is one reason why a lot of babies are conceived during these months.

– Weight gain during the fall months may not be due solely to the great food, but actually a lack of vitamin D which helps to reduce fat breakdown.

– Birds begin to migrate to warmer climates during fall. The Arctic Tern actually migrates 11,000 miles away from home, making it the bird that travels the farthest.

– The Monarch Butterfly is the only insect that migrates to a warmer climate and that climate is 2,500 miles away.

Now that we have given you some fun facts about our favorite season, let’s talk about fall activities The Pear Tree Project partook in this weekend.

On Saturday, we continued our “On the Road” series with a venture to the nearby town of Metuchen. The “Metuchen Pops” festival was advertised as featuring more than 50 artists, live graffiti, mural demonstrations, interactive art, and more.

While we did catch a glimpse of the graffiti art, we did not linger. This event was oddly configured and set apart from sidewalk vendors. There were no volunteers enticing you to enter or clear signage of who or what you were about to experience.

The populated sidewalks made it difficult to stop and chat with the artists. The encounters felt rushed and oftentimes interrupted. Overall, this event was not what we anticipated.  

Nonetheless, we made the best of it and caught a snippet of the Mark Mayer Acoustic solo at Hailey’s Harp & Pub. This nook provided nourishment, libations, and respite.

Later that day, The Pear Tree Project ventured to Rahway, where they celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with “delicious small bites” for a fee at participating restaurants. 

While the flyers advertising this event tantalized, reality did not titillate. There were no bustling crowds or  culinary explorers waiting for their tasty treats.

The few people we encountered appeared perplexed and directionless.  Again, there was no signage pointing to participating restaurants or guides directing the musically inclined to the Arts District Park. As a matter of fact, we offered weary travelers directions.

This was simply a missed opportunity to acknowledge, celebrate, and educate about the diversity of Hispanic culture, which is so much more than food and music.

Despite the less than inspiring and rather boring offerings these autumn events produced, we will not be deterred by the lingering summer steam. Instead, we forge ahead with October plans. 

It is FINALLY time to swap our summer clothes for cozy gear that can take some of the pressure off of swimsuit season. This, combined with acceptance to indulge in Halloween candy and decadent fall foods, means my perfect, beach-ready body can wait.

Did You Know? Pumpkin spice has a centuries-old flavor history dating back to Native American traditions and the 1600s, but it does not contain pumpkin; instead, it is a blend of warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. McCormick standardized the mixture as “Pumpkin Pie Spice” in the 1930s for home baking, a flavor that exploded in popularity after the 2003 launch of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, which eventually added real pumpkin to its recipe. The flavor’s appeal is amplified by the brain’s reward system, seasonal scarcity, and clever marketing.