Fall, Mulled Wine And Storytime

The glory of fall has returned. Our trees here in the Northwest have changed to beautiful colors of reds, purples, yellows, and oranges. The crisp cool air has a refreshing zest to it and the recipes on our dinner tables are slowly changing to things we’ve been missing during the heat of summer. Whether you are out in the yard raking leaves…for the cat to jump into, studying some important literature at the table, or perhaps you are spending time with family and friends, there’s no doubt the cooler months call for warmer enjoyments. It’s that time for cozy hats, spicy fall recipes, long sleeves, and indoor fires. It’s also time for a good Mulled Wine! Any wine can become a mulled wine, but traditionally, you’ll want to use red wine.

Now that you’ve got the whole Mulled Winemaking bit down for the cold season, it’ll be quicker to whip up for yourself and friends on those fun-filled autumn days when you went: 

• • • • • • • • • • • • Hiking with the dogs
                      • Apple picking with the kids
                      • Driving to take in the beautiful foliage
                      • Planting fall bulbs in the garden
                      • Playing a game of football
                      • To visit a pumpkin patch
                      • To have a fall picnic 
                      • To make a scarecrow 
                      • For a bike ride
                      • Wine crafting with friends
                      • Stargazing 
                      • To Rosella’s Vineyard and Winery 

And after all that fun, maybe slowing things down with a few good stories or poems and your spectacular mulled wine is right in line with this perfect day! We’ll start you out with something by James Whitcomb Riley “Born in Indiana in 1849, he was drawn to poetry even before he was able to read. Neglectful of his studies, Riley preferred to take walks in the countryside, read books of his own choosing, and create rhymes, the first of which he sent to his young friends on home-made valentines.” 

‘When the Frost is on the Punkin’

When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin’ turkey-cock,
And the clackin’ of the guineys, and the cluckin’ of the hens,
And the rooster’s hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it’s then’s the times a feller is a-feelin’ at his best,
With the risin’ sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.

They’s something kindo’ harty-like about the atmusfere
When the heat of summer’s over and the coolin’ fall is here—
Of course we miss the flowers, and the blossums on the trees,
And the mumble of the hummin’-birds and buzzin’ of the bees;
But the air’s so appetizin’; and the landscape through the haze
Of a crisp and sunny morning of the airly autumn days
Is a pictur’ that no painter has the colorin’ to mock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock.

The husky, rusty russel of the tossels of the corn,
And the raspin’ of the tangled leaves, as golden as the morn;
The stubble in the furries—kindo’ lonesome-like, but still
A-preachin’ sermuns to us of the barns they growed to fill;
The strawstack in the medder, and the reaper in the shed;
The hosses in theyr stalls below—the clover over-head!—
O, it sets my hart a-clickin’ like the tickin’ of a clock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock!

Then your apples all is gethered, and the ones a feller keeps
Is poured around the celler-floor in red and yeller heaps;
And your cider-makin’ ’s over, and your wimmern-folks is through
With their mince and apple-butter, and theyr souse and saussage, too! …
I don’t know how to tell it—but ef sich a thing could be
As the Angels wantin’ boardin’, and they’d call around on me—
I’d want to ’commodate ’em—all the whole-indurin’ flock—
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder’s in the shock!

                                                        Happy Fall!