The Kousa Dogwood

Very little is better than a good autumn day: cool breezes, arrays of dancing leaves, soft lights and Halloween in the distant horizon. It’s almost enough to make a nearly adult man cry! Of course, autumn is great, but it will never trump winter. I love nothing more than a warm cup of tea, rain racing down cold window panes, and an almost endless sprawl of December nights ahead of me. I suppose fall does have its benefits though; we can’t all be winter. Since all hallows eve is nearing, I thought it best to get into the spooky mood by listening to a mix of Nicole Dollanganger’s Married in Mount Airy, PERVERTS, and Ethel Cain's unreleased Ashmedai project. Both PERVERTS and Ashmedai feature long instrumentals, intangible whispering, and a variety of themes. Both, I will say, are very creepy in conception—especially “004” from the Ashmedai project. Married in Mount Airy also has a creepy undertone, from the cover to the ghostly vocals of Dollanganger herself. That is to say, Dollanganger’s music was, however, the inspiration for this month's article. One of my favorite songs is “Dogwood,” which coincidentally is the plant of the month.

The Kousa dogwood originates from East Asia. It has four white or pink bracts (modified leaves) that sprout from a spiky green center. In autumn its leaves turn bright purple-ish red. The reason I love the Kousa dogwood is not because of its gorgeous blooms or spectacular foliage, but rather, because of its delightful fruit. The fruit are these little red balls with bumps. When ripe they are squishy to the touch, some pulp might even gush from the top! The inside is yellow or orange in color and creamy and custardy in texture. The fruit does contain seeds, which I’ve never eaten and I recommend you don’t either. The flesh around the seeds is my favorite part. It's firmer, and a little tart. It’s fun to suck the pulp from the seeds and then, of course, spit the seeds out. If you’re really gentle, you can suck the pulp of the whole fruit right out the top. The fruit tastes mildly of peach, mango, and banana. You can eat the skin; it’s just a little grainy and the texture is equivalent to nails on a chalkboard for me, so I stick to sucking the pulp out. It makes me feel like a spider after I’ve gooshed a fly and I’m sucking the juice out of its exoskeleton. I must clarify: there is another type of dogwood that you cannot eat. If you see a dogwood tree but the fruit doesn't look like the photo up there, don’t gobble it; you will have tummy trouble. I am also not liable. Forage at your own risk, and know what you’re eating before you eat it!

Anywho, it’s closing time so everybody pack your things and leave. This month has been a month for sure, and I am excited for it to be over (sorry not sorry). After early decision is due, it’ll be smooth sailing for me until it’s not. Then it’ll be a struggle, but who cares? Live in the moment, smell some dirt, eat some wintergreen berries on the way to your car, write something, or maybe even take a shower. So much to do, and so little time. Might as well make the most of it. Best wishes from that stain from an unknown source you just can’t get out.