It’s That Time of Year Again

It’s been 40 years since I was in school, yet I still think of a “new year” as beginning in September.  That time schedule must have been so ingrained in me that I can’t shake it.

For me, it’s bittersweet.  I love summer and we wait so long for it.  Then it’s over in a blink of an eye.  But I’m also ready to move on.  I’m tired of the heat.  I want to wear different clothes.

The end of summer

The signs are here that summer is ending.  The sun is starting to drift south again.  I have to adjust the blinds in our living room in the afternoon now because the sun is coming in.  I’ve also adjusted our timers so the lights come on earlier.  At this time of year, it seems the days start getting shorter at a more rapid pace.  

Our potted flowers are looking weary too.  My morning glory never did bloom this year, despite using starter plants instead of seeds.  Guess I’m done trying those.  The petunias are leggy as are the zinnias.  They still bloom but not in that lush way of early to mid-summer.  They’re starting to accept that summer is over too.

One positive – I’ve never had pansies last all summer.  The heat usually gets to them.  While they don’t look fabulous, they are still blooming and are full enough that I don’t feel like yanking them out.  And we have a hummingbird that likes them so I can’t take away his joy.

I also reach the point where frankly, I’m tired of watering every day.  I pretty much ignored everything when my mom was in the hospital, and now I have almost no motivation to keep them going.

Fall is just around the corner

One way I can tell I’m ready for fall is when I go into stores and see all the fall decor.  My house colors aren’t really conducive to decorating for fall, but I can find a few things that will work. 

But more than having these things in my house, I just enjoy seeing them around.  And the smells.  Don’t you just love the fall smells?  Cinnamon, apples and other warm spices?

Football has already started and it seems that it’s earlier every year.  Soon Saturdays will be full of tailgaters and people will hang their school flags outside their homes.  (We have to take turns with our flags, but mine usually takes a backseat to Tim’s.)  The air will get crisp at night and we’ll feel cozy inside the house.

I love fall rain.  Yes, it can be a little chilly, but there’s something about it that’s calming for me.  Well, I like any rainy day, but they just seem perfect in the fall.  (No snow yet, please!!)

Things to look forward to

Fall means apple crisp, pumpkin bread and warm soups.  It means being outside in a sweatshirt and coming into a nice warm house.  It means candlelight in the darker evenings.  It means opening windows on a warm fall day and letting the air refresh the house.  It means sitting on the deck and letting the warm (not hot) sun shine down on my face.  

Fall means Halloween and making cookies for the grandkids.  It means Thanksgiving and turkey.  It means spending time with family.  It means starting to make Christmas presents.  (Hope it’s not too late!!)  It means bright oranges, reds and yellows as the leaves turn.

The only bad thing?  Those beautiful leaves fall off the trees and bushes and everything becomes brown again until spring.  But I’m not going to think about that yet.  I still need to enjoy the fall that’s ahead!!  🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

What do you like about this time of year?