Ahh…
Summer is winding down here in the northern hemisphere.
Days are shorter.
Nights are longer and cooler.
Late summer/early fall flowers are blooming.
It is one of my least favorite times of year (except for the blooming flowers…)
Spring and summer lift my soul.
Autumn much less so.
I don’t know how much of this is related to the dread and sadness I used to feel as a child and teenager about having to go back to school each fall.
And how much of it may simply be a visceral response to the shortening daylight hours.
I have always been acutely sensitive to — and sad about — endings.
As I may have mentioned in a previous blog post, my father and mother each told me (separately) that when I was an infant, I would always cry when they sang “Good Night, Irene” to me as a lullaby.
If that is true, I’m not sure why they kept singing it to me (maybe to see if — yet again — it would move me to tears?)
But apparently they did.
And I always cried.
Deep breath in.
Deep breath out.
Today I am throwing back to a blog post from October 2014 which features the song “Something Good” from the movie version of The Sound Of Music.
It is another song which moves me to tears.
I recorded it with pianist Doug Hammer when we were working on a show called “Songs About Parents and Children.”
I used to think that it was written by Rodgers & Hammerstein, but it turns out — as you may already know — that it was written by Richard Rodgers after Oscar had died (from stomach cancer on August 23, 1950 at his beloved Bucks County farm in Pennsylvania).
Another deep breath in.
And deep breath out.
Ahh, beginnings…
Ahh, endings…
Are YOU a fan of autumn?
If so, please leave me a compelling comment about how I can learn to appreciate and savor it more in the weeks ahead….
Thank you to the generous and talented photographers at Pixabay for these beautiful images.
And thank YOU for reading this blog post.
amusicalifeonplanetearth 
Oh, Will–that is such a beautiful version of “Something Good.” The feeling comes through in your voice. I don’t really love it in the movie.
When my daughter, younger child, was very little she went through a period of wanting to watch “The Fox and the Hound” every day even though it made her cry. Maybe you wanted to hear, “Good Night, Irene,” even though it made you cry?
Sometimes I want sad songs and movies. Maybe autumn is like that, too? I used to not like autumn because of the days getting shorter, and then by November feeling like I had to go to bed at 4. But since I walk outside more, it’s not as bad. I don’t think I realized before how beautiful September and October are. The light in October is stunning. Melancholy beauty like the beautifully sad movies I love. 😉
OK. You may have given me a new lens with which to experience — and savor — autumn. Thank you! And how interesting that your daughter liked watching that movie even though (or because?) it made her cry. Lovely food for thought…
You’re welcome, Will!
My Grangran.would sit in the front porch swing and sing Good night Irene with us as kids..My BigMamma of course was Irene..good memories
I love the thought of your Grangran sitting on a front porch swing and singing! We probably don’t do enough of that these days…
Maybe try thinking of BOTH the sadness of the days being shorter AND how lucky to live in beautiful New England, where people come from all over the world to see our fabulous foliage, our oldy-New Englandy farm displays with the pumpkins and apples and historical places around here?
Here’s another idea that might or might not work: start taking photographs (on your phone is fine) of all the particularly “fall” moments. When I started photography, it opened my eyes to all the things that are beautiful or not, but worthy of my attention. Particularly during these trying times, focusing of my locality, and sharing it online, helps my stay more positive.
Re:Irene Goodnight–that’s one sad song! Hope your folks didn’t share all the verses! ;- )
Full disclosure: I am one of those people who love fall because it is ” pumpkin anything season”- pumpkin coffee, pumpkin bread, etc. Now that’s a controversial statement! People either love it or think I’m crazy…
Cheers,
Julie
I love that you are a “pumpkin-everything” fan. I DO appreciate freshly picked apples and cider doughnuts and freshly squeezed cider (and mulled cider, too) and pumpkin pies. Maybe I can become more adept at taking photos with my phone to share via FB and WP… Thank you for these ideas!
Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year—especially September and October. I love the fall colours and going for walks in cozy sweaters. And I aways sleep much better when nighttime temperatures are cooler. Plus, we celebrate Thanksgiving in October here in Canada. It is by far my favourite holiday of the year.
That said, I detest November. That is a month we could remove from the calendar and it would make me perfectly happy.
Your comment makes me laugh, Michelle. I think I feel a little bit warmer towards November because that is when we celebrate Thanksgiving in the US. I also like your reminder of cozy sweaters! Thank you.
Your refrain of beathei in/ breathe out always reminds me of Muriel Rukeyser, who had the expression: Breathe in experience…Breathe out poetry.
That’s a wonderful variation which nurtures poetic creativity… I love it.
Yeah same here mate..
Will, I can attest to the fact that childhood memories and occurrences stick with you for life. If school was worrisome, no wonder autumn still feels unwelcome. I do wonder why your parents continued to sing the song to you that made you cry. Perhaps they thought hearing it often would get you over your tears. I so loved the song, “Something Good.” We lived in Bucks County ages ago, and I would often think about Richard Rodgers living there, too. I love autumn; it’s the start of the school year with holidays to follow. Spring is always welcome after a long New England winter. Best to you, Will.
You lived in Bucks County! I think a lot of interesting people have lived there over the years. Oscar and his wife bought the 40 acre dairy farm in 1940, I think their idea was to have a somewhat safe, somewhat self-sufficient place for their family and friends to be as WWII got worse and worse… And it certainly influenced all of the natural/agrarian imagery/vocabulary which ended up in many of his song lyrics. Thank you, as always, for finding time to read and listen and comment, Jennie!
Yes, Hubby and I lived there! And, I must say Oscar picked a perfect place to be. How interesting that you feel it influenced so much that ended up in his song lyrics. I can see that, and we were there in the late 70’s. Many thanks for the post, and for the memories, Will.
Apparently Oscar had a special second-story wraparound deck built (or maybe it was one of the features of the house that he liked when he bought it?) so that he could walk while he worked on his lyrics and librettos. Here’s what AI told me: “Oscar Hammerstein II famously paced back and forth along this deck while composing his legendary Broadway lyrics. Because he preferred to stand and walk while he worked, this balcony served as his open-air thinking space. While walking the deck, he overlooked rolling cornfields, which directly inspired the famous opening Oklahoma! line: ‘The corn is as high as an elephant’s eye.’ On this property, he penned lyrics for masterpieces like The Sound of Music, South Pacific, and Carousel.
Just WOW! Thanks for the backstory, Will. I can see how he would feel inspired to write, while walking with a view.
A very interesting post, Will. Living in the South, I look forward to Fall when the 90+ degree weather finally turns cooler. The other thing that makes fall better is I am retired and no longer have a new school year of teaching to look forward to. I am with you on the song. What were they thinking!?
I am one of the few people on earth who likes hot and muggy weather. But I appreciate that autumn will bring more comfortable temperatures into your lovely world.