It took a while. I wasn’t sure we would have one. We had record highs in September and early October was warm too but we are now into typical fall weather — cool crisp nights with a warming during the day.
There are a lot of things to like about fall. The air is crisp but the earth is still warm enough that it doesn’t feel cold. The beloved husband and I have spirited discussions about how a temperature doesn’t always feel the same. (Many of these discussions start with “why are you wearing a sweater when it’s 80 degrees?) A sunny 75 degrees is much warmer than a cloudy 75.
Most of the annual “clean-up” is done. One last thing needed for the pond. Last week I pulled out my tomato plants. They were still producing but the taste wasn’t as sweet and they didn’t last as long. One year I waited until the first frost and found myself working in the freaking cold! Nope. Not doing that again.
There is an ebb and flow to seasonal changes. Summer is hectic. There is outside work and social events going on. The approach of fall brings a slowdown that’s much appreciated before heading into the holiday season.
The window box full of flowers that need to be watered daily is emptied and ready for next spring. No more fertilizing. Once the trees drop their leaves, the cleanup is minimal (until that first dang big snowstorm!).
Even the cats have less interest in the porch. My cat Morgan is eagerly awaiting the first fire in the fireplace. She loves to be next to it giving stink-eye to anyone, feline or human, who blocks it.
A friend (who has a pool in his yard) once said, “As much as I love summer, I look forward to the hibernation that comes with the winter. It’s a time to regenerate.” I get that (even without a pool).
If only all snowstorms would be under six inches and winter would last six weeks, it would be good!
I really relate to everything you wrote here. Even down here in northern Florida we’re experiencing the nicest cool down right now. I stepped outside yesterday morning to go out, and came right back in for a sweatshirt. And loved it. – Marty
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Much as I love switching to tee-shirts in the spring, I love moving into sweat shirts and fleece in the fall.
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As I was reading your post, I couldn’t help but remember The Pooh’s “It’s the first day of autumn! A time of hot chocolatey mornings, and toasty marshmallow evenings, and, best of all, leaping into leaves!” 🙂 🍁
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That is one smart bear! I start the day with a mocha latte!
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We also are finally having some Fall. It took it’s danged time getting here though! Today it’s 60 but feels like 50 or less because we have 40mph winds after the rain came through yesterday. Still, I’m loving it – sweaters, sweatshirts, jeans and heavy socks…..oh yeah. My favorites. I still have plants in my deck rail boxes but plan to repot a couple of them to bring in for the season – my “spider plants” and my red begonia for instance. It’s all part of the “buttoning down for winter” stuff that I don’t mind doing AT ALL…………….
Hugs, Pam
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I’m conflicted on the buttoning down stuff. On the one hand I need the break. On the other they are so beautiful and once the leaves fall we are left with gray and drab until March.
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I know how you feel……what makes it bearable for me is having fires in the fireplace, cozy blankets while watching movies on TV, and having hot apple cider while looking at those gray skies and drab landscapes. THEN when Spring starts popping – “all is forgiven” !!
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Great attitude!
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Fall is a little different in Florida. We are beginning to have the days I have been waiting for all summer. It will get even better and there will be no snow. I can hardly wait for the first cooler days when we can slide open the lanai doors and leave them open all day! I am happy Morgan has her fireplace and I am a bit jealous of her having it! Hey, I might even get to pull on some jeans around Thanksgiving! Good Morning, Sassy Cats!
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This is your best time of year (or so I hear from other Floridians!). I hope it’s a perfect fall.
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Thanks Kate… wishing the same for you. You still have some beautiful days ahead.
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Oh I’m a huge fan of autumn (as we call it on this side of the pond). It is my favourite season – cozy clothing, boots, the ability to snuggle up under a blanket during the evening without feeling like some ancient invalid 😉 Sadly, I don’t have a garden – back trouble forced me to give that up, but I love visiting farmers markets for all that gorgeous produce. My dream retirement is to have a garden filled with raised beds. Oh & a fireplace – I envy you your real fire 🙂
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There are a lot of great things about fall. The only one I don’t like is that it precedes winter and we often have long and cold winters here!
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Oh I feel for you. I’ve always had mild winters. Having just moved, it’ll be interesting to see what winter brings. It’ll be nothing like you get there – at least I hope not!
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I’d love mild winters. I’d love NO winters! Just some nice fall weather going right into spring!
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I wish our fall were more like fall. Instead, we’re looking at over 80 degrees again next week. At least the nights are a little colder.
My husband just put in a new crop of tomato plants. I guess that’s a plus?
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Tomatoes growing now is a plus!
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Fall is my favorite time of year in Florida ~ a slight dip in temps and humidity, the end of hurricane season, farmers’ markets gear up again . . . but I don’t have to pack my flip flops away yet!
For us, it’s the end of our summer hibernation.
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It’s like our winter! I feel your exuberance. I get that in April on that first warm day!
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I don’t know that I’d be able to navigate the winter cold you will receive, but I must say it is a little enviable to think about the garden hibernating. In our climate we maintain the pond and all the watering, pruning and feeding of the entire garden all year long. There is no total break. It slows, and that’s some respite from the chores. Every region has it’s own gardening challenges. The lilies in the pond do completely die back, and some plants do, too. But others just keep right on growing. 🙂 Your tomatoes were much more plentiful than mine. I am impressed!
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That picture was from 2 years ago. Sadly this year’s crop wasn’t quite that bountiful. It was good enough for us though and next year I’m downsizing even more.
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All of my tomatoes came at the beginning of the season. Many more than we could eat or even share, and then poof! They were done! I can’t quite give it up, but I do think we’d be money ahead just to go to the farmer’s market!
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We have a heavier crop at the end of August but we start to get them around the 4th of July. There are varieties I stopped planting because them came in too late and all at once.
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I love fall too, even though it can be pretty hard to find around here. There’s just something about the change of seasons that makes us want to shake things up. I’m with Morgan… I can’t wait until it’s cool enough at night to enjoy our fireplace.
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Each season feels like a new beginning. I like that!
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My fall is usually busy because of my birthday. I would love for it to slow down, though. The hubs took my bday off and we’re going to (if it’s nice out) take a ride to see autumn colors.
I totally agree with you and your friend about the wintertime for regeneration, but would love it to be shorter. I sooooo missed the seasons for all those years in Florida. I belong here with the changes.
Happy autumn. 😊🍂
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I vote for a shorter winter too. The first part isn’t bad because it’s full of holidays and celebrations. Come January through March it’s cold and dreary and I can’t wait for spring!
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I agree with everything you said – Fall has always been my favorite season, especially if there is lots of time between the last batch of leaves raked and the first shovelful of snow. Last year Mother Nature dumped snow on the roses before I had a chance to cut them down – we had rain many weekends in October and didn’t want to prune them too early. I have to get everything done outside, including shutting off the water. That frosty morning Tuesday was enough to tell me my butt needs to get into gear. I wish last week’s weather could have lingered longer.
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Our long range forecast is very fall. Highs in the mid-60s with cool downs at night. I would have loved a few weeks of mid-70s but that wasn’t to be.
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Another week like last week would have been wonderful. About an hour ago they said we’re going to freezing tonight. They never said that earlier today and I would have shut the water off when I went out this a.m. … I think 33 tonight is fine. This weather is like a roller coaster as it will be nearly 70 both weekend days.
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We are having similar weather except our night time temps aren’t that low yet.
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I’ll enjoy this weekend with the 70s. Bottle it up and tuck it away somewhere.
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Our latest forecasts have the weekend in the low to mid 60s. Maybe 70 on Monday. Hopefully it will be sunny.
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Savor these days as the NOAA predictions that came out yesterday for Winter are downright cringeworthy.
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*bangs head on table*
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My thoughts too! Had two really great fall days but today is cold and rainy. Still more work to do outside, but I got a couple big things done!
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It’s so great to have the big jobs done! Cold and rainy here too. Maybe a nice weekend but it will be cool.
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I enjoyed your post. Can we come to an agreement? You take a few weeks of winter, and I’ll take an equal amount of summer. PA is far enough away from NC that it shouldn’t hurt either of us.
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🙂
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The temperature thing you talk about. It was a running battle with my husband too. An air-conditioned 72 is NOT the same as heat set to 72. It just isn’t… He called it the thermostat wars!
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🙂 It’s not the same at all. A/C 72 is always too cold for me!
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The prettiest time of year IMHO. I composted the remains of the tomato plant this morning after a couple of frosts. Enjoy this beautiful time of year.
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It’s pretty until all the leaves are down. They it’s kind of dreary until the holiday lights are on.
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I had to smile at the cat face peering out – simply adorable 🙂
As much as I look forward to summer, I too breathe a sigh of contentment with the cooler autumn temperatures. I’m sad though at the thought of winter. It cannot be relied upon to not overstay its 6-week welcome.
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That’s for sure. Sometimes it stays until June!
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Oh – like this year 😤
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Yep!
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I love fall, the crisp air, the smells, less insects, and of course less chance of getting too hot. I agree sunny days are definitely warmer even if temperatures are exactly the same.
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And the food. Don’t forget the fresh apples and root vegetables!
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I, too, enjoy hibernating after all the outdoor work of summer & fall clean up, which we haven’t done yet. I didn’t try to grow tomatoes this year, but seeing yours makes me rethink that decision. Fortunately I have all winter to contemplate this, perhaps plan differently for next year.
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Every year I adjust my garden. It’s 10 x 10 inside a dog fence with a people door. At first it was barely big enough. Next year there will be 4 lonely tomato plants in it. I used to have 8 but I don’t roast or can so it was a lot of work to give them away.
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We’re finally getting some much needed rain, of course the downside is the commuting is horrible. I do enjoy fall, but I’m not looking forward to the winter months as my tolerance for the cold has me freezing when it’s 80 degrees. I’m having cold flashes when they should be hot! Don’t you all have a Nor’easter heading your way?
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We have a storm system, it’s pouring now but I don’t think it’s a nor’easter. At least I didn’t hear that. We may get 2 inches and we need it. After a wet summer, it’s been very dry. I’m cold at 80 degrees too. I could do with 2 weeks of winter and then off to spring.
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We did indeed have a bit of a nor’easter. Still wild and windy out there. We had 2-5/8 inches of rain yesterday.
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So glad fall has fallen for you guys! It seems like it was later this year? Or maybe I’m just acclimated to here by now 🙂 Also glad you had a chance to take care of the autumn yard work while it was still nice out. We had a cat like Morgan when I was a kid – she was glued to that fireplace once it got cold out!
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It is late this year. We were bumping 90 frequently in September going into October.
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Bleah! Way too hot!
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Even I thought so!
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Hi, Kate – Autumn has officially hit Vancouver Island as well. I’m completely with you in wishing for a 6-week winter. That would be awesome!
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As soon as the holidays are over, we are in a countdown for spring. Not a big fan of winter sports except for the Olympics.
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A first big rain storm here and Elsa tefuses to go out. Gutters cleaned until more leaves come in from the forest. I have the sniffles and a cough the day after the flu shot. Ah! Autumn!
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Poor Elsa. Too bad dogs don’t do litter boxes in really bad weather! Hope your sniffles is short lived.
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There is something to appreciate and look forward to, as well as to mourn with each changing season.
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That is really true. Each season has it’s pros and cons.
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Have my cozy sweater on. Love getting out my Fall clothes. 🙂
Sounds like you and your hubby have the same spirited discussions about temps as me and my husband do!
Oh yes, love a fireplace, Morgan has the right idea!
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We have the fireplace on almost every night (it’s gas so it’s easy) from the start of cold weather until it ends.
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Fall is such great dog walking time. Loving being out with the pups in this (other than the rain expected today!)
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It’s great to walk even without dogs (although dogs are more fun!).
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