Fall 秋季之美













One of the likeliest targets for people from cold climates, the North, to pooh pooh about the warmer areas of the world is that we don't have seasons. There are movies and magazine articles written that suggest we are somehow deficient because there is no snow and especially because
there is no fall season. Of course those of us who live here in the lower latitudes, whether in East Asia or in the Americas know this is just jealousy. Go up in altitude, whether in Alishan 阿里山 or here, we can have our change of seasons. Stay where we are and we have spring or summer.


Today, we went as a family to see the fall season in apple picking country. It is a pretty area, between 3500 ft and 5000 ft in altitude that reminds me a lot of the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia. These are gentle rounded mountains, not the high peaks and valleys that are to be found farther on. Everything in this area revolves around apple growing from the more than 100 varieties of apples offered, depending on the season and elevation, to apple cider and apple butter. The nicest part about it is that we get to see fall and then leave it behind as we leave the mountains.