Dear Reader:

If you are a ‘fall fan’ (and autumn is, by far, the favorite season of most Americans ) truer words were never spoken…about the anticipation of fall. However, in order to enjoy the season for as long as we can, we need to also enjoy the ‘waiting for autumn’ period too…and that is exactly where we are today.

Labor Day is the popular ending to summer and welcoming to fall…though the fall equinox won’t ‘officially‘ begin until (I should have seen this God Wink coming)…Saturday, September 22…Jakie’s birthday party!

So the way I see it…right now we are all kind of in a ‘hoping and wishing‘ time zone…hoping we get through fall without a tropical storm or hurricane and wishing cooler weather would just magically appear.

Since ‘hot dog season’ officially ended on Labor Day (at least for beach front hot dog vendors) it is time for pumpkins to dominate the fall season  like hot dogs did in summer. Already I am starting to see Starbucks, breweries, bakeries, and stores begin pulling out the pumpkin beers, bread, muffins, lattes, pies, scones… etc. Like these:

Believe me before fall is over there will be more creative pumpkin dishes and drinks that you can shake a feather at….

For me…the weather is the most important element needed for me to  know fall has arrived. Marketing can produce every kind of pumpkin creation imaginable…but if it is still 90 degrees outside I am just not feeling it…well actually I am feeling it…hot and grumpy… while wanting cool and happy.

These days I have to laugh at the human race and our fickleness with the weather. (I am one of the worst ones) We were fortunate to have lots of rain during August… to the point that I got really spoiled not having to water the yard or garden. For the past two weeks there have been little to naught rainfall and I have had to fight off mosquitoes, no see’ ums, heat and humidity to keep the garden going.

Now instead of praying and hoping for the rain to stop…I am praying and hoping for it to start up again. Poor God…having to put up with his unappreciative “children.” So that is why we all need to take a deep breath and appreciate the moments in “waiting for fall.”

Perhaps Mark Twain said it best: “Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.”

I could learn a valuable lesson from my lantana…they always have two seasons in the summer…they first appear in late spring…bright and fresh-looking, then halfway through the summer they turn dark and dingy-looking (quite unappealing)….only to rest and re-bloom in late summer and fall …in their most beautiful attire! Yes…like the lantana… the best is yet to come! Sometimes we just have to pause and give nature its time to bring in the next season’s beauties.

*Last night while watering the garden….a cool breeze suddenly swept across me and I found myself thanking God for the sweet, refreshing reminder that nothing stays the same; the summer season will change, and then soon summer 2018 will just be a fondly remembered  memory.

So until tomorrow…

Pictures of summer evenings….

*A big shout-out and even bigger ‘Thank You’ to Mary Fennemore of Wyoming, Delaware. She is one of my most loyal supporters of the blog and Race for the Cure. We have sent surcies occasionally back and forth between us…yet she really caught me off-guard this time.

Mary sent a Clemson candle! I love, love, love it Mary and will light it during each game this season! How very special and thoughtful! It made me so happy yesterday when it arrived!