Preparing to say goodbye to summer

Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves, we have had our summer evenings, now for October eves  ~~Humbert Wolfe

As the Southern Hemisphere is entering spring and looking forward to summer, those of us in the Northern Hemisphere are entering autumn and preparing for winter’s arrival.  Today is cold and rainy and a day which led to me thinking about what I will miss when summer is officially over, not by the calender but by how we change how we live according to the weather.

No winter lasts forever, no spring skips it’s turn  ~~ Hal Borland

There are wonderful things about winter.  I find more time to read, crochet and keep my home in a state I enjoy.  I spend too much time enjoying the outdoors in the summer months to want to be indoors cleaning.  I even do my spring cleaning during the winter months (all except for the outdoor washing of windows and those blankets that need put away when the weather turns warmer)

But ah, summer. I’m not ready to give up the activities I enjoy so much in the summer months.

Every season has its peaks and valleys.  What you have to try to do is eliminate the Grand Canyon.  ~~ Andy Van Slyke

Here is what I will miss about summer

1. Waking to the sounds of geese flying overhead on their way to the lake.
2. Long hours of daylight.
3. The farmer’s market (which ends tomorrow)
4. Cool glass of lemonade sitting in the shade on a hot afternoon.
5. Outdoor music festivals.
6. Sitting in the Little Cove with a book.
7. Eating meals outdoors.
8. Being barefoot most or all of every moment in and  outside.
9. Tending to the gardens.
10. The smell of fresh cut grass.
11. Fresh picked peaches, berries, peas…the list is endless, there is nothing quite like picking fresh produce from the garden and savoring it in the moment.
12. Having all the doors and windows open both day and  night.
13. Gathering of neighbors I don’t normally see during the colder months.
14. The sounds of a thunderstorm.
15. The feel of the suns warmth on my face.
16. The colors of the flowers both cultivated and wild that abound around me.
17. Watching the bats flying overhead and being thankful for them because as a result I’ve not had to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
18. The sounds of the crickets at night, it’s as soothing as the rain to fall asleep to.
19. Watching the antics of my wild neighbors, such as the bunnies who play their own form of tag most early evenings.
20. Seeing people around town out doing their own thing whether that is tending their gardens, mowing the lawn or stopping to chat with those they pass on a leisurely stroll.
21. Enjoying an ice cream cone under the shade of a tree with the grand children.
22. Wearing lighter clothing,and less laundry as a result.

Of course I wouldn’t appreciate these days and these activities if I had them year round.  I’ve lived in areas which have no real difference in the seasons and missed the spring flowers, autumn colors and yes, even the days to wrap up in a blanket and enjoy a good book or favorite music.

The Seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other  ~~ Arthur Rubinstein

In times past, winter was a time of staying indoors close to a fire to stay warm.  Stories were told and hot drinks were savored in those cold days.  It was a time to come in from the fields to simpler and slower days. After months of growing and preparing the foods we would survive on we now could stop and rest up and enjoy what we may not have had the time to enjoy while working so hard the rest of the year.

Too often we continue to live at the break-neck speed of the rest of the year forgetting to slow down.  Bears hibernate, squirrels collect their nuts to store for winter then move to protected areas, we should take a lesson from nature and find the time to slow down.

Simplifying my life, I can now again enjoy the comfort of enjoying winter from the inside looking out, choosing when I want to venture out. Some people still enjoy the comforts of winter, to read another viewpoint  click here.

So with winter coming, what do I have to look forward to?

1. Cozy blankets
2. Time to read more
3. Enjoying a cup of hot tea
4. Slower pace of the day
5. Pots of homemade hot soup
6. Starting that sweater I’ve been wanting to make for myself.
7. The beauty of icicles on the trees
8. The sounds of the wind during a storm
9. A few nights of no power due to heavy snow, when I will appreciate the silence.
10. Staying home more often
11. Football (go Steelers)
12. Time to enjoy a jigsaw puzzle and good conversation with a friend
13. Time to further the sewing skills of the grand daughter

Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.  Let there be your only diet drink and botanical medicine  ~~ Henry David Thoreau

What is your favorite season?  How do you live differently as each season changes?  Are you looking forward to winter, or dreading it?