When there's dew on the grass and a nip in the air, I feel grandly alive. While the world along the river remains dressed in summer's green, a close look reveals things are yellowing and somewhat tattered, like an old dress worn and washed too many times, before getting hung in the back of the closet. There's no doubt a corner has been turned. Personally, I welcome this seasonal change. I'll be glad to see the leaves begin donning their patchwork colors, glad to spend some days rambling about in fields rich with goldenrods and purple asters where I always feel like I'm walking through an antiquarian tapestry…glad to shiver when I first step outside, take a deep breath, and feel my blood zing.
Summer is my least favorite of the seasons. With me, a little goes a long way. This time around it's been too hot, too dry, for too long, a guest that's already overstayed its welcome. We'll have another torrid encounter next year. But for now…
Adios and fare-thee-well!
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20 comments:
I couldn't agree more Grizz. While I love the beauty of summer, the heat and humidity make me long for its end. I've always felt quite alone in this preference - everyone around me seems to bask in the long, torrid days of summer.
I enjoyed your post a few days back where you spoke of loving dark, stormy days when you can have a pot of soup on the stove, a fire in the hearth, the wind singing a wild and passionate lovesong outside the window, and a comfy chair and cozy throw where you can park yourself with a good book.
Now just add a few million giant snowflakes floating down to thicken the carpet of existing white and I am in my glory.
Glad to finally find you ... brother. :)
A gorgeous photo, Grizz, one that would surely make the photographer grateful for the day on which it was taken. Having said that, however, I must confess that I'm not quite ready to welcome winter. I do welcome fall, of course, and would be quite content with a year of Octobers. Alas, however, as Frost reminds us, "nothing gold can stay."
Hi I got quite a few swims in-then a few days had me tenting with layers of wool blankets in a frosty -5C,then back to sunny swimming and just the start of orange tipped trees. I will send painting photos. The colours are just starting here also. Goodbye boring green.
I can hardly say fare thee well to summer here, Grizz, as it has never really arrived. Yesterday was the perfect summer's day here - now today it is cold and wet again. All last week we had the remains of one of your hurricanes. But I agree Summer is my least favourite season - and I do love the colours, the smells and the feeling of Autumn - only 5 days to go to its official opening.
What a lovely photograph of your river too. I love it in its gentle, rippling stage.
"Summer is my least favorite of the seasons." Right on, brother! It was blessedly cool here in the Pennsylvania Piedmont today, too, and I attended a meeting at which the convener decided we would meet outdoors for two hours. Let me tell you that, despite the cool temperatures, the sun is still strong enough to at least approximate a sunburn--at least on me.
Bonnie…
Well, I take a lot of flack from family and friends on this…and they mostly think I'm teasing, lying, misstating what I really believe, amazingly dumb, or mentally messed up—a sort of weather pervert. That it might simply be a personal preference, a different-strokes-for-different-folks opinion, never seems to be an alternative.
So, I do understand your isolation—and, don't know how one of us got lost, but welcome to the family.
Your description of an enjoyable day pretty much hits the nail on the head—comfortable seating, proper food, book, wind soughing in the eaves, and snowflakes. While I can't rule the weather, I can certainly have a hearthfire every cool night, practice slow cooking (house-filling aroma and eventual good eats all in one—a twofer!), and pluck appropriate reading material from my groaning shelves.
Yup, I'm good with nine months of bliss and twelve weeks of sweatin' 'neath the sycamores.
George…
Oh, I'm not wishing to bypass autumn, either! Though spring is my favorite month, the span between, say, the last of September and the middle of November are my favorite weeks of the year. I love the moody weather, the wonderful color, and the bittersweet quality of the entire period.
I'll take winter in its course—and enjoy it—but let me wallow in autumn beforehand.
AfromTO…
I'm really looking forward to seeing those paintings. And I'm glad you had what sounds like a fun and productive trip. I think every good northcountry camping trip needs a few chilly nights where you sit close to the campfire, lean close to the stars, and later, zip up the tent and pile some extra cover on the sleeping bag. A few swims on either end of such a trip is just a bonus.
Let the leaf color begin!
Weaver…
We've had a hot, hot summer here, following a record-breaking wet spring. Frankly, I'm ready to get on with fall, and ready for a season to act like it should.
What you see in the photo is a portion of the opposite bank just upstream from the cottage. Up or down, the views are lovely.
Scott…
It turned out to be partially sunny here, though still cool. I wouldn't have wanted to spend too much time out without a long-sleeved shirt or light jacket—but man, do I ever love this turn of weather. I am so glad to have days where the mercury isn't pushing 85˚F! It will probably warm up again, and somewhere after the equinox we may have Indian Summer…but the game has changed.
By the way, being fair-skinned Irish, and ruddy complected, I can "color up" on such days and short hours, too—not a real sunburn, as it fades overnight. But enough to know I've been out in the sun.
I'm with you, too! Northwestern wind arrives and the raptors are on the wing. Exciting times!!!!!
Your sign-off to summer is far more polite than mine:
Good riddance, and don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on your way out!
Giggles…
Hawks, indeed! Plus colored leaves, gentians, asters, persimmons, real apples, sugar pears, good smallmouth bass fishing, monarchs heading for Mexico, possibly sandhills or swans overhead, and the occasional great horned owl questioning the night. Ya gotta love this time of year!
Jain…
Well, I guess that pretty much kills any doubt as to where you stand on the matter…
HI GRIZZ - your "tell-all" beautiful picture is evidence,- stand up in court evidence - that summer is on its way out - thank God! It was in the 40's over night and our fire wood was delivered at 8:30 this morning. We are getting ready to stack it, well, mostly Skipp but I will be out there rollator in tow cheering and providing cold drinks and sandwiches. Later we have to pick up my Mom from dialysis - a well deserved break from stacking - and then it is back to work first thing in the morning. I am making my famous marinara sauce first thing as well - the smell fills the air and will motivate us to get the job done and then enjoy a home-made calzone with my sauce for dipping and a nice bottle of Italian red wine. Hallelujah! I hope your Lady-Love is feeling well and that you have a wonderful weekend.
Love to you
Gail
peace.....
Oh dear - our summer has been mainly wet - so it is what summer should be like that I long for. Autumn may be beautiful but it is the start of the long round way back to summer. Beautiful photos btw.
Gail…
Sounds like you have your weekend well used. And that calzone is a perfect dish for the day. I'll bet it's tasty. I have pork, potatoes, and butternut squash in the oven, and leftover coleslaw I made earlier.
I have a huge bunch of wood to wheelbarrow down the hill from my neighbor's—probably a half-dozen or more cords once it's split and stacked. I'm going to have to rent a splitter to work it up—but I sure appreciate the gift. You don't get to pick your neighbors when you move somewhere new…I'm really blessed with the ones I have here.
Freda…
I can understand why you feel cheated; I've had the same feeling at the end of unseasonable seasons myself. Of course from my point of view…the best three seasons of the year are about to begin.
Amen!
Robin…
Not feeling any summer love up around Lake Michigan either, huh?
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