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Thursday, September 6, 2012

Anticipating Autumn




I am so over summer.  I really should live on the west coast.  I thrive when temperatures are about 72-85 degrees with no humidity in the spring/summer and 45- 65 in the fall/winter.  If fact, San Franisco temperatures would be just fine by me even though everyone thinks its too cold there in the summer...I would love it.

Instead I live in the Southeastern United States which is hot and humid pretty much 9 months out of the year.  Sometimes we get a year when the humidity stays relatively low and living here is glorius.  This has not been one of those years.  This year it was crazy hot with extremely high levels of humidity which began in late April and continued through July.  August brought lower temps but the same humidity.

I hate humidity.

No really...I really hate humidity.

I am ready for sweaters, woodsmoke, falling leaves, mums, hot chocolate and football.  The way the sun is a little lower in the sky and days get shorter.  The way the leaves crunch under my feet as I walk the dogs.  The palpable anticipation of the holiday season.  The cooler temperatures.  The absence of humidity.

The good part about living here is that in the fall and winter you can pretty much be outside with only a sweater or a light jacket until February.  Then you hibernate for a month or so before the weather begins to warm up and it's time to venture out again.  The bad part is that fall will not really begin (at least not the way I like it) until late October.

The first year we were here I waited and waited for the weather to break so that I could go and buy mums and pumpkins to decorate my front porch.  September came and went and my petunias continued to bloom.  October came and my impatiens continued to bloom.  Finally, at the end of October (almost to Halloween) it got cold enough for me to go shopping for mums.

There weren't any.

Apparently, around these parts you have to get your mums at the "normal" time, which is mid September, even though you're buying them in flip flops and tank tops.  Then you have to keep them in the shade until it cools off or they will fry in the sun.

Wait...what?

So that's what I'll do this year because I can always put them on my covered and shady porch, crank down the AC, put on a sweater and pretend it's fall.

Don't judge.

Namaste


For my friend bugerlugs.

6 comments:

  1. humidity? really???? !!! add a couple dozen mosquitos, 120 bad hair days, and the need to shower hourly. Ya, good times.

    MN can dish out her fair share to tortuous climate.

    My husband has names for me when the humidity creeps in and dew points match the temps. But, this is a kid's program, so I'll refrain from sharing

    I gotta tell you, though , , I'm a fan of snow, cold winter days and blizards, not the kind you eat. . Again, I'm just weird that way

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  2. I guess there is no perfect place to live, and I hate waiting for anything, much less fall. But your winters sound really nice. Enjoy those mums.

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  3. What on earth is a mum? I mean other than a Mother . . . ?
    They're obviousy seasonal and used to decorate porches, possibly edible?
    I love the autumn and winter too . . . And snow x

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    1. I added a picture just for you. I'm sure you have them - you just call them something different. It's a type of chrysanthemum.

      Sherry

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  4. Is that your house in that picture you put up for Bugalugs??!! Wow you live pretty posh girlfriend! Just to really do your head in, on top of the time difference thing, we are heading out of winter and into spring .. so the flowers are all starting to blossom here. I am no good with humidity either - my feet swell up - so it's good I've moved to a city with shit weather. Loving the new leaves background. xxx P.S. just went and bought 6 new items of clothing weeeeeee haaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!

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  5. When I was living on the sailboat, I spent a whole October at the City Marina in Charleston. It was so lovely. I remember on Halloween, the cap'n and I went from boat to boat trick or treating (for booze, of course). He was dressed up like a pirate and he wanted to walk the docks with a knife between his teeth while drinking but I wouldn't let him, so he walked around with a spatula between his teeth instead.

    I loved Poogan's Porch!

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