We’re coming up on fall and it’s time to wave bye-bye to summer. And as the seasons turn (in places where they really do turn; this summer decided to mostly give our fair city a miss and only showed up for a few random days), I am curious to know what it means to you.
Is it the moment when you heave a sigh of relief or terror that your offspring are springing off to school? Is it the time to buy woolen clothes and pack away your linens? Does this time of year herald the start or the end of a favorite food, activity, or form of entertainment?
For me, the biggest things are in the television and culinary end of things. Burn Notice and White Collar are over for the time being (and without spoiling it I absolutely need to scold the writers of both shows for where they left us hanging!), Caprica will be back next month, and I’m getting the birthday present of a whole new series: Top Chef Desserts. On the food end, my favorite gourd squashes are starting to show up at my local friendly grocery store. And I need to get a new pair of boots, something I am both looking forward to and dreading in equal parts. I love boots, but my feet are not easy to fit and it’s getting harder and harder to find something I want at a price I can afford that will actually go on over my foot.
So there’s what the upcoming change in season means to me. How’s about you?
I lament the end of grilling and dining alfresco weather, but look forward to slow-cooker meals like stews and chilis and other hearty things.
I positively welcome cooler weather when it comes to clothing, because my wardrobe is geared to temperate climes.
And I look forward to watching the leaves change, even while I lament the end of the berry growing season. :)
Comment by Wendy — September 10, 2010 @ 8:01 pm
The good: Persimmons will be in season soon.
The bad: I will have to shovel snow and be cold unless we want to spend $500 a month on our heating bill. (I am not making that part up.)
Comment by The gold digger — September 10, 2010 @ 8:19 pm
I love fall! I don’t live in a climate where I get to enjoy foliage, pumpkins, and hay rides, and that makes me sad. I love the snap in the air, too!
Comment by Mei — September 10, 2010 @ 10:15 pm
It doesn’t really get cold in south texas for awhile yet (and then, not really so much). Leaves don’t fall until the week of Thanksgiving. It is actually a mild time of year that makes it nice to have parties outside. If you asked my husband how I differ from seasons he would say boots and jeans instead of skirts and flip flops. Which is about right, too.
Comment by GoP — September 10, 2010 @ 10:51 pm
I am looking forward to cooler weather (though that won’t happen here for at least another six or eight weeks), the scent of autumn in the air, being able to enjoy a nightly cup of hot cocoa, and the return of my favorite t.v. shows for the fall season. And winter clothes! I love a winter wardrobe.
Comment by Cat — September 10, 2010 @ 10:53 pm
Well, this year, I’m quitting my full-time job and going back to school. So the end of summer has brought equal parts panic and excitement.
I’m also terribly ready for (slightly) cooler weather. This is Louisiana, after all.
Comment by Meg — September 10, 2010 @ 11:32 pm
This morning when we got up, it was 43 degrees F. We’ve been using blankets on the beds for a couple of weeks now. Looking forward to: apple season!! Every apple under the sun, eating, cooking, baking, sauce, cider, you name it. I love sweaters and snuggly stuff so, I’m going into my favorite seasons now. The only part I don’t like is that it gets darker much earlier so I don’t have time when I get out of work after dinner to work outside, which is something else I really like.
Comment by Toby Wollin — September 11, 2010 @ 8:42 am
Bring fall on I say. This summer in Maryland has been brutal with over 50 days of 90+ degree heat and humidity. This week we’ve experiencing gorgeous early fall weather, with highs in the 70s and low 80’s, no humidity and gorgeous breezes. I look forward to the leaves turning, pumpkins, apple cider, Halloween and wearing jeans and sweaters. When the weather is cooperative, I can still grill out into December.
Comment by Bree — September 11, 2010 @ 9:43 am
I love summer , bc where I live , the beach is a weekly thing when its hot and I LOVE the ocean . But I do love fall for all the other out door things I love to do . I get really excited about hunting season (bow season started today !!! YAY !!) hiking , fishing . Im an outdoors girl , so cooler weather is always welcome . I live in southeast , GA. and the heat of the summer just gets to be way to much around August . I also look forward to my homemade potato soup and chilli’s , BBQ and roast . mmmmmm . Winter food is the best . I will miss the long days playing at the beach though and by the time Im half way through winter , Ill be dreaming of bikini’s and margarita’s . lol
Comment by Dawn — September 11, 2010 @ 3:27 pm
When the weather is cooperative, I can still grill out into December.
My husband grills in the snow. As long as he doesn’t make me go out there in the cold, that’s fine. Yes, he is a crazy man.
Comment by The gold digger — September 12, 2010 @ 9:42 am
I love fall. We’ve had a beautiful summer in Michigan, but Michigan weather makes you HAVE to be outside when it’s nice because we realize that 1) it could rain at any time and you need to get the lawn mowed NOW and 2) soon it’ll be 15 degrees and snowing.
Sooooo, I don’t get any actual house project done pretty much in the summer – they all wait for fall/winter. I love sweaters and cider and bonfires and falling leaves and seeing the farmers harvest their crops, blah blah blah. Most of my clothes are cool weather oriented so that makes dressing easier. When we moved down to Nashville for a few years, I hardly had anything to wear for six months out of the year. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the money at the time to invest in a new seasonal wardrobe either. Curses!
Comment by Mrsbug — September 13, 2010 @ 10:57 am
Well in lovely Austin it is now 95 F for a day time high. I’m just thrilled 100 degree days seem to be over for now.
This time of year means back into the garden for me along with lots of grilling. I do lots of canning through the summer so I actually have more time to relax right now.
My dreams of cashmere have to wait till late Nov.
Comment by txbunny — September 13, 2010 @ 11:05 am
Dreams of cashmere is right….and by the time I need cashmere in Austin, Landsend will be sold out of all the good colors. But it’s so hard to prioritize buying cashmere when it’s still 96 degrees and humid.
Autumn means a hope for a break from the hell of Austin in August. Waking up to the sounds of the local high school band practicing. Looking at all the fall catalogs and thinking about new boots…..and planning my Halloween costume.
Comment by Thea — September 13, 2010 @ 5:09 pm
I am psyched about sweater weather coming around again. I love knitting as it’s a great way to get a customized fit; off the rack sweaters are rarely optimized for curves, and we’re getting close to the time when I can break them out again. Living in Seattle, summer is pleasant, sunny with day time temperatures usually in the 70-90F range, but after about a week or two of that I’m ready to have the rain back. And boots! I have missed you my knee-high friends! It’s starting to cool down (upper 60s low 70s during the day) and I’m already trying to phase my boots and lighter weight sweaters in. I like clothes so weather when I can layer and wear more of them is a good thing in my book.
Comment by Sara Darling — September 13, 2010 @ 9:31 pm
I love fall with an irrational and passionate love. No matter how many times I remind myself I am now an adult with a job, as the weather warms up, I anticipate that I shall have three months’ vacation (which I do not); and as it cools down again, I imagine that I will walk to my activities in wool sweaters and fuzzy socks. This does not happen either; I take public transportation and I wear a suit and heels in all climes.
HOWEVER. Life is not robbed of all its simpler joys by the doom of adulthood. I have kept a few woolly sweaters for weekends and evenings. I have a woodburning fireplace (precious blessing in a rental!) and few things are so delightful as the smell of wood-smoke. I just bought an adorable pair of boots which I have been patiently (for me) waiting to wear. MAAAYBE I can even wear them with suits to work…? I also make the best hot chocolate obtainable outside Austria, and always serve it with whipped cream and cinnamon – and I haven’t made it in months, and look forward to enjoying it again. I love baking and have a new chocolate truffle torte recipe I haven’t tried yet because it’s been too darn hot this summer to use the oven except in emergencies. And I need to make some homemade bread, too. And dig out my old favorite soup recipes (and tinker with a few new ones), which it has been rather too hot to serve. And soon it will be Apple Pie Season – defined as the time when half-pecks go on super-sale at the grocery store and I suddenly make lots of pies to use them all, including the fabulous one with the cheesecake and streusel layers. Sadly, it will soon be dark very early, but it’s about to be cool enough to go running outside! And my lovely fluffy down comforter has been waiting since its spring washing to be deployed once again. Because one of the very best parts of cooler weather is snuggling :).
Did I mention I love fall? Thanks for this post!
Comment by the misfit — September 14, 2010 @ 5:53 pm