Changing Seasons: A Country Without Autumn

Flannel… pumpkin spice lattes… leaves like fire… a crunch under your feet… pumpkin carving… cozy candles… corn mazes… football… halloween candy…

All the cozy fallish things. Even though I don’t get to experience many, if not most of these things where I live,  I am learning to think outside the box. To be thankful. And to get creative with what the Father has provided in the country I now call home.

A county where the norm when buying a pumpkin is to buy a piece of a pumpkin. Yes, just a slice. “How many KGs (Kilograms)?” is the question I get. What could you possibly use or need a whole pumpkin for? It’s one thing to cook a pumpkin because of a pumpkin craving but be aware… it might just be white inside and not smell like a pumpkin at all (not that this happened or anything).

I was gifted half a pumpkin from some ladies down the street and although it was green on the outside, it was indeed orange inside and after baking it for 2 hours, gutting it, and puréeing it, it looks as beautifully normal as a can of pumpkin puree from a grocery store shelf. A few days later, I was thankful to find a whole pumpkin for sale after Halloween, a little late but better than never.

I never thought I would miss fall leaves so much. Growing up in the Midwest, I was used to the Saturdays where dad went to Lowe’s or Home Depot, bought 16 jumbo brown paper leaf bags, and we raked until the only things left were the grass and the itty bitty leaves that the rake couldn’t even pick up. The crunchy leaves were as bright as fire trucks, dropping vibrant shades of orange and red that I never knew existed.

I’m trying to come to terms with the fact that my new home comes with the four seasons of Summer, Monsoon, Winter, and Spring. I’m learning to thank the Creator for the gorgeous mountain views instead of vivid autumn colors. Or find joy in the one tree in the forest that has a few reddish leaves. Even though we don’t get fall, we still get the chilly weather which is one more thing to love about this part of the country.

I haven’t seen a shop or restaurant yet that advertises Pumpkin Spice anything. The coffee we drink is complimented with milk (from a box) and sugar unless I decide to learn to make a PSL with the McCormick Pumpkin Pie Spice that I brought from the States (which hasn’t happened yet).

Before I made  pumpkin puree, I had the urge to make at least something fallish or orange in color. So… I went to the man down the street who sells fruit with my heart set on an orange. Well, the orange turned out to be green. It’s not that it wasn’t ripe, it was just a green orange. I ended up making a family recipe of cranberry-orange scones and it still tasted delicious and felt festive, despite the lack of  fall colors. I may not have Pumpkin Spice Lattes but just a few days ago, my friends made some hot chai tea on a chilly rainy day. We wrapped our hands around the tiny white mugs and sipped the South Asian goodness.

As I celebrate Fall without the season of Fall, I am reminded of God’s will for us. According to I Thessalonians 5:18, it is to give thanks in everything. Some of the seasons we will go through, may feel like perfect autumn breezes down a picturesque path while others feel like a mud puddle pool in the middle of monsoon. Even as the seasons change, may our hearts always abound with gratitude.