RHYS BOWEN: I know it's Hallie's week, but I'm hijacking the post today as Hallie is up in Utah. And I'm mindful of what today is. September 20. Tonight is the fall equinox, when day and night are of equal length. It also marks the end of summer, beginning of fall.
And I am not happy.
I do not like fall. I admit the colors are lovely. I spent a wonderful hiking trip once in New Hampshire with the fall foliage at its best. But apart from that I am not pleased when the days get shorter and colder., the leaves turn brown and fall from the trees, the birds fly south. Fall says to me that winter is coming. Dark, cold days, rain beating on windows.
It means that we can't do our favorite walks, (the one pictured here is by the Bay) or we have to take our evening walk before five, which messes up the whole afternoon. I suppose it also symbolizes that relentless path to the end of life, which gets closer and closer every day.
I like spring with its flowers and scents and hope of longer, brighter days. I am a big fan of summer, unless it's too hot. For me summer means beaches, picnics, sitting on my balcony on long balmy evenings with a glass of wine, watching the lights come on, one by one, in the valley below and listening to the sounds of night--crickets, frogs, and occasional owl.
Another thing I do not like about fall is this obsession with all things pumpkin. I am not a fan of pumpkin spice anything, from candles to lattes. No no no. Today in Trader Joe's I saw the ultimate insult. My favorite little ice creams and look what they've done to them! Pumpkin ginger flavor! No!!!
I'm sure I'm going to get lots of comments saying that you all love fall and look forward to the coziness of winter. And I do enjoy the thought of an evening by the fire with a good book and a hot cocoa. But I'm essentially an outdoor sort of person. i like windows open in the house. I always take my lunch out onto the balcony to enjoy the view. And, I have to confess, that I do escape from winter by spending most of it in Arizona where the sky is blue and the temperatures are perfect.
So do I have any other fall-haters out there or am I the only one?
Well, I don't "hate" fall, Rhys, but I am not thrilled with it, either. I don't like all that pumpkin spice I see everywhere, but I do like to see the leaves turning colors and an autumn walk can be quite lovely.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't like that winter is just a few leaf drops away with all its cold, dark days . . . .
kindred spriit!
DeleteI am sorry that you hate fall, Rhys, but I get it.
ReplyDeleteI love fall. I don't mind winter, in fact, I love it, too. There isn't a season that I hate, and it's a good thing because I live in Connecticut year-round and we get all of the seasons. As for pumpkin spice, I only get it in pumpkin pie and I mix my own spices. I am not a fan of artificial flavors and when a label has too many ingredients, it's a hard NO unless the list is recognizable and real. What are "natural flavors?" Sixty Minutes did a piece on a company that concocts them out of???
Anyway, let the seasons change. Our warm clothes are packed away, and one morning I'll get up and know it's time to take them out again.
When I hear someone saying, “It’s natural”, I respond (in my mind), “So is hemlock”. — Pat S
DeletePaula B here ~ I love that! I’m going to remember your response. And use it. “So is Hemlock.” Outstanding response.
DeleteI don't mind pumpkin pie. It's not my favorite.
DeleteI've said this before - mainly I don't like fall because it means the end of the summer produce season. I want more sweet corn, more berries, more sun-warmed tomatoes, more eggplant and peas and all the yummy fresh fruits and veggies, plus eggs from local chickens. And walks on the beach.
ReplyDeleteIt's also really dark when I wake up now. Ugh.
From Karen: I just went out to the garden this morning to turn on the sprinkler--hopefully for the last time if the rain finally arrives this week. And I picked a small handful of late raspberries. A bonus for all my hard work.
DeleteI watered two days ago for two hours. SO very dry here.
DeleteI certainly miss the farmer's market and fresh produce in the winter
DeleteSorry, you hate fall, but I love fall, the change in light, the feeling in the air that change is coming. Fall and spring are my favoite seasons. Summer not so much when the days get too hot, and I really do hate to be cold, so winter is something I endure.
ReplyDeleteLike you, though, I'm not into pumpkin spice anything. Or all the pumpkin decorations. Whereas, I do love Christmas everything. It's my favorite holiday.
Fall colors in the high peaks of the Adirondacks usually lasts only about a week, unless we have rain, when it can be even shorter. No rain this year; we're in a scary drought, and the colors promise to be dull and muted. We have had our second hard frost (I'm looking out at frosted pastures and ice on the car windshield). I picked all my green tomatoes last night and drained my 450 feet of garden hose. I still have many, many "summer" chores to get done and then all the fall ones. So at this time of year I'm always feeling harassed. Thanksgiving is always a relief because by then all the farm chores should be done and I can rest inside and look peacefully at the view. (Selden)
ReplyDeleteSelden, we are in a drought as well, which is really unheard of when you live on the Atlantic. Yesterday we had 0.25 sillimeters of rain, which means that for the month it is now up to 8 sillimeters. If you would like a translation, it is in total 0.31 inches - not enough to generate a spit!
DeleteWe are in a major drought here in NE Massachusetts. A river runs through town that used to power the textile mills in the nineteenth century, but right now it's a trickle. Those mills would be silent without water power!
DeleteI have a love/hate relationship with the summer season. I dislike that sweaty wet feeling when the temperatures are too high and the humidity is even higher. I have to rise very early to tackle garden chores and watering before the sun gets too high in the sky, I feel lazy and have zero interest in tackling projects or cooking because of the summer heat. I dislike having to go to summer weddings where the ceremonies are held outside on the hot beach sand and my clothes stick to my "bottom". In their enthusiasm for the "perfect wedding" I think the younger generation sometimes forget the comfort zone of an older person clocks out in the summer heat and all one may be thinking about is getting off the beach and back inside that air-conditioned function room. At the same time I love the summer because rising early means that first cup of coffee when the air may still have a bit of coolness and a summer breeze ushers in the scent of salty mist from the nearby Atlantic Ocean. It means bright and cheerful hues from the annual flowers that are sharing space with the perennial garden in our courtyard and the smell of beach roses in June. It means clear nights with its summer sounds of crickets and night skies of endless glittering stars. It means an early breakfast in the courtyard and barbecue gatherings with friends and family. I find as I get older I cling a little longer to the season that may be the hottest but is also the shortest knowing that autumn which follows also means a long winter behind it with less sunlight and longer nights. Once the joy of the holiday season is finished the months that follow are void of any celebrations until the first signs of spring start to emerge again. I will admit, however, that the summer season is bittersweet for me because autumn's entrance means apple picking (and apple pies, the annual pumpkin hunt and Halloween which I love. I am clueless as to why I love that "holiday" because I won't watch scary movies BUT I still love to read a good old-fashioned murder mystery. :-) It means comfortable temperatures both day and night until the onslaught of winter's colder digits make an appearance. Despite all the reasons for loving the Fall I hold fast to my summer annuals and changing over to a new season until the official start of the Autumn Equinox. And Rhys...you'll be happy to know that you officially still have two more days of summer left. The Autumn Equinox this year does not begin until Monday, September 22nd at 2:19 pm EST. :)
ReplyDeleteIs that right? I'll make the most of summer this weekend. Of course here in California we are still around 80 degrees which is delightful
DeleteI don't hate the fall like you do Rhys. However, I'm right there with you in my utter abhorrence at anything pumpkin spice. They've even done it to my beloved Cheerios which makes me almost physically ill every time I pass the cereal aisle in the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteI agree ~ the thought of pumpkin spice being added to my Dunkin's coffee is deplorable but adding it to Cheerios is the worst!
DeleteThe spices that I combine for my pumpkin pie belong right there and nowhere else!
DeleteCheerios? No!!!
DeleteI know several people like you, Rhys, who hate the shortening days and the end of summer. I've always loved fall, for the cool air (not a big fan of hot days) and the colors and the light. The cedar waxwings are in my yard and the Vaux swifts are using a local elementary school chimney as their overnight spot for a couple of weeks as they migrate. Fall was always a hopeful time for me when I was a kid because it meant the beginning of a new school year, buying new clothes and school supplies and that sense of anticipation and renewal. I'm a fall and spring lover, not so big on summer and winter.
ReplyDeleteI suppose that was true in my school days. A new school year was always exciting
DeleteLet’s start with the pumpkin spice whatever. Nope, nope, not ever. I think my distinguished palette (ha!) does not like that ‘spicy’ flavour – no cinnamon in everything, no anything else. Nutmeg deserves eggnog – homemade not that commercial bilge water, and ginger belongs only in my daughter’s ginger cookies (she puts in cayenne pepper as well – delicious!) I do make my mother’s recipe for pumpkin pie with a real pumpkin and triple the spices, but admit that eating it is really only for the whipped cream – and it is best served for breakfast.
ReplyDeleteAs for the impending darkness, coldness, and other yuck – well just yuck! So, since the beginning of September, while watching the tomatoes just beginning to ripen and searching everywhere for Lucy’s recipe for a tomato tart – in the recipe her crust was wonky, I have been starting the what seems like endless run of bringing in the houseplants (Christmas cactus will come in today) and starting the new geraniums for next season – only 250 to go. The garden beds need to be turned and shifted. Turned to allow seaweed to be out in if there is a blow this fall and we can harvest some, and playing shifty to make and transfer 3 new strawberry beds. The call is in for 8 cords of wood, all of which will need to be moved and stacked.
There will be a day when it will all be finished and Geriatric Row will reside in a ‘pile’ in the cottage. That dining room in the cottage will be closed for the season, tho we are contemplating having the family there for Christmas and hoping my sister survives that long. However, at the end of the fall confusion will be time to just do a puzzle – all day if the cat and I choose – no guilt involved.
I just don't do well with diminished daylight.
DeleteI’m not a fan of fall. I’m always a bit apprehensive when it begins because bad things happened through the years: my husband left, a friend died, I had a car accident …
ReplyDeleteLike Edith, I’ll be missing fresh produces . I ate my last local blueberries last week, it should be the last week for fresh corn. As for tomatoes, we had our first frost on the ground this morning ( a little early I think ) so the future of local fresh vegetables will be very short.
The nature is still beautiful. Colours on the trees slowly began a couple of weeks ago and the transformation should continue for the weeks to come. There are many birds that gather either to winter or to go south .
The more difficult is the decrease in light. When I was working full time, I had to use a special lamp to counter the effects of darkness but now that I am retired, I can go outside in daylight and even if it’s not sunny, the light gives me back an energy gain.
I'm sorry you've had such bad fall memories, Danielle. Events like that certainly color how we feel. My mom died just after Christmas one year and it always haunts me still.
DeleteI live in coastal North Carolina so I like fall for many reasons. We get some cooler days (today is supposed to be 85). The tourists are mostly gone so the roads are more easily traveled. I don’t like the shorter days and we don’t have much foliage here. We have pines. Lots of pines.
ReplyDeleteNot a huge fan of fall since it is harbinger of winter. 🥶 Winter is not cozy. The things we do to try to escape it are cozy, like hibernating. The absence of sunlight is debilitating.
ReplyDeleteNow in Florida I am probably going to have to change my tune. Cooler temps and lower humidity are pleasant.
I see no need for pumpkin spice everything. Why can’t we have apple cinnamon instead? Or caramel?
I’m with every word you said Rhys. I tell everyone I hate fall bc I know winter is coming & it never seems to end. Everything is dying or seems to be. I’ve written so many mournful poems about fall. I have a fireplace but I also get power outages during the coldest times.
ReplyDeleteWell I confess, I do love fall. It comes after the most brutal part of the summer heat and humidity if you’re in New England. The air turns crisp and cool and most of all the leaves put on their colors. What I don’t like is How the traffic kicks up once the school buses are back in business. On the other hand, it’s a perfect time to go to your favorite vacation destination because the crowds are thinned.
ReplyDeleteTrying to pack eight hours of activities into three thia morning, and on the run.
ReplyDeleteFall is my birthday season (why limit ourselves to one day, my kids have taught me), beginning of school/new TV, and the grateful winding down of so many garden chores. Plus, my favorite: sweaters! I love cozy, warm clothing, boots, scarves, and snuggly thtows. And having a nice fire to cheer the house in the evening.
How is Steve doing?
DeleteYes, Karen, how is he? — Pat S
DeleteHis A-fib finally stopped late yesterday. I am at the airport now, waiting for him to get his bags, so that anxiety is also relieved..
DeleteThanks for asking.
I didn't know Steve had a bad time. I hope all is well now, Karen.
DeleteAs far as I am concerned Rhys it is rather a waste of time and energy to hate fall since we have no control over it whatsoever. If rain beating against the windows is the worst you got, how would you like the snow in my part of the world? 3 feet or more in one storm is not that unusual. I'm not happy about higher heating bills either, nor the chance to lose power. But I have no control over those things either.
ReplyDeleteBut I am definitely with you on all that pumpkin stuff! For more than a month I've seen pumpkin yogurt in the store, Yuck!
Sorry, Rhys, I cannot join you. I just don’t hate or love any season. All four of them bring me joy, hope, anger, sadness. The coming of Fall revives “back to school” excitement with the promise of new things to be learned. Fall is a promise of new beginnings, of time quiet internal growth…those roots of plants having time to rest after harvest. Of course any use of a pumpkin other than a jack-o-lantern is utter ridiculous waste of time and energy! Elisabeth.
ReplyDeleteWell done to find joy in everything. I try to do that!
DeleteLove the autumn. We live in the middle of full leaf colours. It’s gorgeous. After a humid hot sweaty summer filled with mosquitos, it’s perfect. It does mean a push to get things wrapped up in the garden but this year we really need the rain that’s hopefully coming soon. And pumpkin spice is all right by me, but just in coffee although I do love pumpkin bread and muffins.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we had mosquitos I'd be glad summer was over too.
DeleteHere in Southern Calif our fall (Sept/Oct/Nov) is our Santa Ana season. Where the HOT desert winds blow from the east to the ocean. So what is normally autumn or fall in most areas, it is our summer season. It's hot, muggy, dry. It's also our fire season.
ReplyDeleteMay Gray, June Gloom is our winter season. July can also be gloomy - it just depends on the year.
Actually, Jan/Feb/Mar in our area can often be our best weather - cool, but sunny, very little rain.
RHYS: Though I am not a fan of shorter days, I do love the flavor of pumpkin spice. I am drinking a cup of pumpkin spice coffee this morning. I remember one of the first sounds, which I heard within weeks after activation of my speech processors, was the sound of the leaves crunching as I walked on the sidewalk. We have trees on our street and the leaves turned brownish orange, falling to the ground. I get what you mean about shorter days. I am not a fan of the summer either, though I do love the longer days. With my fair skin, I have a tendency to get sunburnt! Since my twenties, it is always caps or hats and sunblock for me.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I wanted to share this with people who live in the Boston area. The Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge, MA will have an event on Monday the 22nd of September in the evening at 7p.m. Rachel Kolb, author of ARTICULATE, will be interviewed by Rachel Berman. Yes, there will be Sign language Interpreters. Please check with the Harvard Bookstore to see if you need to reserve a seat for the event. Some bookstores are asking for reservations.
Rhys, you are consistently hilarious! I have to say, I love fall I absolutely adore it. But I do not like, not in any way shape or form, pumpkin spice anything. Big no from this Red, too . Pumpkin pie, yes, delicious. Pumpkin spice anything else? Nope nope nope . Xxxxx I love the idea of the equinox though, it is such a proof of the organization of the universe.
ReplyDeleteI must confess, Rhys, that my natural instincts align with yours. Sure, the foliage is pretty, but fall always felt like the end of the things I enjoy most and the beginning of a death march -- literal and figurative, as so many plants die or go dormant for winter. And like you, I am not a fan of "pumpkin spice" flavoring, which isn't even about pumpkin, for Pete's sake!
ReplyDeleteHowever, in recent years I have been trying to suppress that instinct because I feel like dwelling on it just increases my misery. I am making real efforts to keep my focus on the current day -- whether than means enjoying the still warm sunlight for now, or trying to revel in the beauty of crunching leaves when that comes. It gets even harder for me as we move from fall into winter and the shortest days, but I will keep trying then, too. I don't always succeed, but I think making the effort brings some benefits.
You aren't alone, Rhys. I've never liked autumn because it leads to winter and darkness. However, this summer was so unbearably hot, and the last few weeks have been pleasant, so I'm trying very hard to live in the moment and not miss an entire season because of dreading the next.
ReplyDeleteI also dislike pumpkin-flavored everything. Give me berries and peaches.
So right, Annette. Live in the moment. I do try to do that.
DeleteRhys, I hate fall. I hate winter, too. It annoys me when people say that they can’t wait for sweater weather. To me, having to put on a sweater in order to stay warm and comfortable is just abnormal. And don’t get me going on all the layers of clothing that I must wear underneath my winter coat. Parts of fall are pretty to look at, but once I start feeling cold, I don’t really enjoy ibeing outside. And don’t get me going on how unsafe winter is for me personally. (Ice, snow, trying not to fall, etc)
ReplyDeleteI don’t like being home all day, and in the late fall and all through winter I feel like I’m locked in to my home. I’m aching to get out and go somewhere. But the roads might not be safe, it’s going to take so long to get dressed up to go out, and that’s going to cut into the amount of time I have to go to wherever I’m going.
(When my mom was a few years younger than I am now, she slipped and fell on the ice in her driveway and broke her pelvis and her hip. So I know firsthand what can happen to somebody who falls on the ice. And a few years ago, I slipped and fell on the ice on my deck and ended up with a really bad wrist sprain.)
DebRo
I'm glad we don't have ice where I live. And I hate being a prisoner in my home. I like windows open, fresh breeza blowing in.
DeleteAs someone said earlier I don't like fall because it brings more fires to northern California as well as southern California. I don't like that it gets darker earlier, I hated leaving the office when it was dark. And now since I'm supposed to go for walks I have to walk in the morning because I am still not supposed to be in the sun much, so my walks will have to happen at an earlier time if I actually get myself off the chair and go for a walk. I can pass on all things that are overly pumpkin spiced. Keep it in the pie that's just fine. Though, when I was a preschool teacher I would make playdough with the kids and we would put yellow and red food coloring in it and I would add a little sprinkle of pumpkin spice so that they could have a smelly playdough, which was fun.
ReplyDeletePaula B here ~ I’m in the love Fall but winter is even better group bc I live in Arizona. Maybe I’ll spot you wandering around here. Fall heralds cooler weather eventually. Not so many colors down in this part of AZ. But winter, ahhhh winter. Cool patio weather. I’m finally cool enough to go outside for walks all over the place. My patio is always clean and planted with beautiful blooms. Can’t do that in the summer. Too hot to clean it much. And all the blooms have gone away - much like winter in other climates. Spring is beautiful but it heralds OMG heat and withering plants. Hmmm, I guess we are rather Upside down here. Can’t complain much about the heat. Wouldn’t do much good and I’d rather be warm than cold. Hot means stay in AC and read in the recliner, ice tea at the ready.
ReplyDeleteWinter in AZ is brilliant. That's why we retreat there. Although the days are short, even that far south.
DeleteI don't hate fall, but definitely have mixed feelings about it. The changing colors, cool days and nights are welcome. But leaves are falling and I love being surrounded by greenery--the woods, the thickets, all of it full of birdsong, berries, flowering plants (I refuse to call them weeds). Shorter days, this I dread the most. Then winter. I hate being cold. And yes, I try to present and appreciate what each day brings. But I can't wait for days to grow longer, for leaves to bud again.
ReplyDeleteAnd I like pumpkin pie. But that's it--no pumpkin spice anything else, unless I make some soft pumpkin-ginger cookies with cream-cheese frosting. And I wouldn't say those have that cloying pumpkin spice flavor either.
Rhys, I remember what Fall was like growing up in the Bay Area: cooler temperatures, fallen leaves, the onset of the rainy season. This was back in the 60s when we didn’t know about Climate Change or have such a thing as Wildfire Season. Now I live in Southern California and we don’t have as many deciduous trees so few pretty leaves. Rain, when it comes, is eagerly welcomed, unless you’re in a recent burn zone. The weather does cool down, but only to the 60s, maybe the 50s, but it’s such a nice change from the high 80s-90s.
ReplyDeleteMy feelings about Fall are tied up with memories of school and shorter days. I was a good student, but having to go back to school and not be able to play outside all day was a bummer. Even though I am past retirement age, when school starts, I feel a sense of melancholy that goes back to my youth. Summer is my favorite season. I love the summer fruits and vegetables, baseball games, beach days — the whole enchilada. And now that we finally have a/c, the heat doesn’t bother me as much.
I eat one slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. That’s how much I like pumpkin anything — not at all. — Pat S
Santa Clara Valley Fall has changed significantly! We have temps in the eighties past Thanksgivings. Fall might start after that. I am at the very warm southern end of the valley.
DeleteI've lived in the Bay Area since 1967 and winters used to be so rainy and cold. Now most are mild and here in the North Bay we are constantly on the alert for fire.
DeleteMy son went to SJSU a few years ago so I did get some weather updates from him on occasion. — Pat S
DeleteDear Rhys! I am still chuckling about what they did to your little ice cream. That is just sacrilege. Some things just shouldn't be tampered with. As far as seasons go, I am more about sunshine than actual seasons. I admit to being solar powered and the dismal days of late fall and winter do a number on my psyche. Probably why I inhale books that time of the year.
ReplyDeleteI really think we need the four seasons, such as they are wherever you live, to help us appreciate what we have and where we thrive. That nudge into the yucky seasons can remind us to embrace the wonderful times when they arrive. Also, I am reminded of the fact that we need those fallow times to recover, recharge and tend to those tasks we would otherwise continue to avoid (speaking personally here!). That doesn't, however, mean I like them. Nope. Give me sunshine and warmth to thrive and dark and cold to rejuvenate - assuming I survive those foul times!
Also, after yesterday hilarious session, please forgive and mentally correct all grammar and punctuation errors. -- Victoria
Wise words. Fallow. Time to recover. Yes!
DeleteRhys and I are about to begin a panel at the Desert Sleuths online conference!
ReplyDeleteAny day over 75 degrees feels like a heatwave, so summer is my least favorite season. Fall is bliss: colors, occasional rain, frequent sunshine, a nip in the air so brisk that a deep breath conjures childhood memories. And I love winter... rain, cold and all. My wardrobe is primarily of the black turtleneck variety, so heading outside always requires a vest... perfect! (However, I do admit that by the last weeks of winter I'm yearning for spring!)
ReplyDeleteThat's my problem, Victoria. My wardrobe is all pastels and bright blues and greens. So unsuitable for winter.
DeleteI completely agree on your dislike of fall. It’s not the season itself, it is the harbinger of the early dark days, the cold and the potential for snow and ice.
ReplyDeleteYou are fortunate that you have the ability to escape from the worst of the winter weather. Here in MA that is not an option. It is rather ironic that lack of light occurs at the same time as when you need it to see the ice when you are walking.
Aside from the foliage, which is also an indicator of the bare trees to come, the only positive thing about autumn is that the hard frost removes the danger of disease carrying mosquitoes.
Pumpkin is fine with just cinnamon and no nutmeg or mace.
I prefer the abundant fresh fruits and vegetables of the summer. Most of the year their availability is from whatever is shipped here from other parts of this country or imported from other countries. It is also more expensive and nothing tastes the same as when it is local and in season.
Every year I look forward to ‘springing forward’ and the additional light. I also watch for the first signs of green on the bushes and trees and the tips of green of the crocuses, tulips and daffodils. This is my season.
I'm totally with you on this. I feel like everyone loves fall, but it just reminds me that winter is on its way! I prefer spring and summer too, when the days are long and you can be outside enjoying the weather. And that pumpkin ginger ice cream flavor is a serious offense—some things just don't need a pumpkin spice makeover.
ReplyDeletewww.melodyjacob.com
LOL - I do love fall but I grew up in New England so I feel like it's mandatory. Also, I'm in AZ, so fall is more like less summer and I am sooooo ready for that. I enjoy exactly one pumpkin spice coffee each year and one is enough but I do enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteThe consensus is against pumpkin spice when it's not in a pie! Shall we let Starbucks know that they must remove it?
ReplyDeleteI'm a November baby so fall is my time of year. It's mainly a relief from the hot summer temperatures, but it's also harvest time. As for pumpkin spice, keep it in the pie, please.
ReplyDeleteFall is my most favourite season.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy exercising outdoors without being totally drenched in the summer heat & humidity.
Japan has had the hottest summer ever, and the first 2 days here were too much with 35 C/95F highs feeling like 41C/103F.
Looking forward to arriving back in BC & Ontario where the highs are in the 18-22C/64-72F range!
But no to pumpkin spice.
Tried to send this hours ago and g ot a call just as it was ready to publish, and lost it. Of course.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, about 35-40 years ago everything was hazelnut. Which I adored, until there was just too much of it. I keep waiting for that to happen with the pumpkin spice craze, but no such luck. Pumpkin spice is for pie at our house. Twice a year, at most.
Update on Steve: he was fishing out west, at 7,000 feet, and got dehydrated, which triggered the A-fib. He's fine now, and home, after grueling travel on his part, and anxiety on mine. Thanks for the kind words. And everybody stay hydrated, please.
Thank you for updating us, Karen. Yes, hydration is essential. I had a mild vertigo incident this summer because I wasn’t hydrating enough. (Did he at least bring you some fish?) — Pat S
DeleteLove Fall! Living in Central Pennsylvania we enjoy FALL foliage day trips to the mountains to enjoy the glorious color. Only thing I don’t like is darkness descending earlier and earlier and when it’s dark at 5 pm - Ugh. The pumpkin everything is not my thing at all.
DeleteFall means clean up the flower beds and decide which plants on the deck I should try to save a bit longer inside the family room. I spent too many years commuting to and from work in the dark. That is what I hate about fall and winter. What I do like about fall is the nice temperatures and humidity so that I can enjoy anything outside even just sitting on my deck! I hate all things pumpkin, but do love fresh, warm apple cider donuts which are just coming into season. I have a great recipe for baking them!
ReplyDeleteOh Rhys, “I do not like fall. I admit the colors are lovely. I spent a wonderful hiking trip once in New Hampshire with the fall foliage at its best. But apart from that I am not pleased when the days get shorter and colder., the leaves turn brown and fall from the trees, the birds fly south. Fall says to me that winter is coming. Dark, cold days, rain beating on windows.” I agree! Give me sunlight, daylight! I do like early fall, except for the waning of the daylight. Sigh..,
ReplyDeleteFall is my favorite season, with the leaves changing colors and covering us in a magical coziness. And, I do like certain pumpkin flavored items, but I don't go crazy with it. I should be doing some walking when I get my new knee the 3rd of October. I'm going to Nashville for the surgery where they are using the latest techniques, which will mean a faster recovery than the old knee surgeries (which they still do here).
ReplyDelete