Falling in Line ...

October 23, 2005

This is my first fall in the Lowcountry. I guess I should have had some inkling that my favorite season would see some slight changes this time around. But for whatever reason I remained ignorant to the fact that I am clearly in a different region of the country where 90 degree days linger well into fall.

In my past life, I had always been ready to make the switch right after Labor Day. Children would return to school and shortly thereafter we would witness the leaves changing and the smell of wood burning stoves in the air. We would head to the farm market (Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck for my fellow New Jersey natives) for pumpkins, mums and cider, and I would once again break out my pride and joy sweater collection, which by the way, I packed and moved south with, despite the advice that I would not need it.

This year though, I was having some trouble adjusting to a fall in flip flops and yes, I’ll admit that for a few days I was even crazy enough to consider moving back north. It was a few weeks ago that I started to notice the pumpkins and scarecrows popping up all over my neighborhood but I was unable to get into the mood, after all it was still 80 degrees.Patience is a virtue, one that I do not readily possess. But finally the days have cooled, and I have decided that even though the leaves may change later than I thought and chances are the fireplace won’t see much action this season it is indeed time to start “my fall.”

So, the Northerners guide to celebrating fall in Bluffton goes something like this …

When purchasing your mums you are guaranteed that they will last well past Halloween. However, your carved pumpkins will probably reach their demise sooner than later – since the night time frost won’t be present to keep them preserved.

All of the effort and care put into your Halloween costumes will be worth it this year because you won’t have to force the kids to wear their winter coats over their costumes.

The allure of seafood lasts well throughout the season – the “shore” restaurants and bars don’t close down after the summer. In fact, October has an “R” in it, which means oysters are a go. Head to the Bluffton Oyster Company and ask for some tips on putting together your own oyster roast – a signature of fall in the Lowcountry. (This may also be a great time to find out exactly what oyster stuffing is – with Thanksgiving right around the corner, this year may be the year you substitute the sausage!)

Head to Cahill’s Market - a quaint spot on May River Road with an eclectic blend of jams, jellies, veggies, flowers and such – to fulfill the farm market itch.

Looking for coffee to take the chill out of the morning air? The new Bluffton Coffee House on Mellinchamp Drive opens early at 6:00 a.m. (they make a mean café mocha – just perfect!) and far surpasses any ideation that we need a Dunkin’ Donuts here.

In the north, you would know when fall had arrived. The air would smell different and the slight chill that the first step outside presented promised the new season. Here, we plan our fall days with warm sun and the knowledge that this year we won’t have to locate the snow shovel in the garage, just the golf clubs.