Saturday, September 14, 2013

CALL ME CAP'N CRUNCH – Walking On Acorns

While out on my evening walk yesterday, I found myself doing something that's become, for me, a harbinger of autumn. I crunched dry acorns underfoot. In fact, I go out of my way, to the very edges of the sidewalk where most of the iconic little oak bombs lie, swept aside by the elements and a hundred other walkers.

Whole acorns don't crunch so easily; even the broken ones still have a little meat
to cushion the blow. But those little caps, they're the crème de la crème of crunch, delivering a crunch so deep and satisfying you can feel it in your head.

Be careful, though. If you step and there's no give, there you are on a bed of ball bearings, and the crunch you hear might indeed be in your head.

Here, fittingly, is one of my favorite posts in my series, 101 Tips on How to Be 
In the Moment.

 TIP #65
Celebrate your own footsteps.

A whisper through crispy autumn leaves; the earnest crunch of dried acorns; the thin chatter of a kicked pebble.

Though they bear the weight of the world, let your feet proclaim their joy…not just in getting somewhere, but in the going.

10 comments:

Marghanita Hughes said...

Oooo love it Jeff

I walked barefoot for most part of the Ocean clean Up hour this morning. Everyone else had shoes on but I couldn't wait to get my boots off and feel the sand and rocks beneath my feet. When you walk barefoot, you can feel Mother Earths heart beat...a connection so earthy and true....my feet are tired and dirty, they LIVED, they were very much part of the moment...the connection would not have been the same had I been wearing shoes. Although crunching on Acorns would most definatly have been painful!!!....I think I would keep my shoes on for this one!!! I also love to crunch on nut shells and leaves, we have an abundance of "crunchiness" in the graden right now-the Magpies and Bluejays flock in for the hazelnuts, scattering shells everywhere and then it will be time for the Walnuts...oh how magical the seasons are Jeff....I so love your child within you...gifting such joy to us all...keep sharing my beautiful friend....how blessed we are to see the wonder in it all, peace Marghanita xx

Jeffrey Willius said...

Thanks for dropping by, Marghanita. My feet were once that tough when I was a boy and went barefoot all summer. Now, when I walk barefoot on gravel, I must look like I'm walking on hot coals!
Kudos to you and your crew for the ocean clean up! As usual, you inspire me...

Carol said...

Love this. Love the idea that our feet can proclim the joy of crispy, crunchy leaves. To experience seasons with all of our senses is wonder-filled.

Jeffrey Willius said...

Thanks for the comment, Carol. Sounds like you know exactly what I'm talking about. Do you have lots of oak trees where you live?

Admiral Crunch said...

Omg I recently became obsessed with crunching acorns and the acorn caps lol ... I had to Google whether this was common ... Where I live acorns on the ground year round and due to the heat really dry them out. Stepping on he dry acorn cap is the holy grail ... There's so many different types and sizes it's great ... Plus acorns that have kind of rotted out make the best popping noise when you step on them ... If you're Captain crunch and I'm the admiral ������

Jeffrey Willius said...

Hey there Admiral - Many thanks for sharing your recent appreciation for autumn acorn crunching. I'm curious, though, how you stumbled across this post during the late spring/ early summer...

Anonymous said...

Hello I google bought me to your post ... I was searching the web to see how many others were acorn cap crunchera lol ...

Jeffrey Willius said...

THanks for the comment, Anon. Yes, it seems like we're members of a special little group -- all of whom have the spirit of a ten-year-old. ;-)

Anonymous said...

I too love to walk and crunch acorns! One oak tree on my street and several at the cemetery!!

Jeffrey Willius said...

Thanks for dropping by OMW! It's nice to hear from a fellow "Cap'n Crunch."

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