“And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.”
When I woke up, the sun was shining. The day looked pretty, and it felt warm when I opened the door for Henry. Now, it’s cloudy, and the house is dark, a cozy dark, a buttoned up, comfortable dark.
I remember walking home from school one rainy afternoon when I was a kid and getting so soaking wet even my shoes bubbled. When I got in the door, I shed the wet wear, went upstairs, got cozy and jumped into bed, book in hand. I nestled under the covers, turned on the bed lamp and began to read. As I was lying there, I felt warm and protected. This morning, the memory of that so long ago moment jumped out of my memory drawer and gave me cause to smile.
The storm doors went on yesterday. I know there will be warm days still, but the nights get chilly, and I leave the back inside door open for Henry. He just goes out still though he does come in when it suits him, like when he wanted to eat the FedEx guy. I put Henry out to spare the guy Henry’s mad barking and bared teeth, but Henry ran in the door. It suited him.
I found the weather description a bit weird in the Cape Times. It said for Today: A shower in the morning then a little rain. For Tonight: Periods of rain becoming heavy. What I want to know is when does Today become Tonight.
Fall, my favorite of all the seasons, is here. The days are warm. The nights are chilly. The house is cold in the morning. Strong breezes blow the leaves up the sides of the street, and they turn and twist and look a bit like tumblers on a mat. The sun comes and goes. Its sharp light flickers through branches, some already naked of leaves.
I want to cheer and throw confetti to welcome fall officially, but, instead, weather permitting, I’ll sit on the deck, light the fire in my chiminea and watch the smoke curl into the sky. I’ll warm myself by the fire, and the smell of burning wood will stay with me, on my clothes and in my memories.
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October 16, 2020 at 3:18 pm
Hi Kat,
Today becomes tonight at Civil Twilight. Here’s an explanation of civil twilight including more than you ever wanted to know.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight
And, here’s an online calculator to figure out the time of Civil as well as Nautical twilight.
https://www.almanac.com/astronomy/sun-rise-and-set
Now you will never have to ask that question again. 🙂
When I was a kid I also got caught in rain storms and got soaked through my clothes and my shoes. It was not pleasant. These days I park my car as close to where I’m going. If it’s raining that hard, I just wait for it to stop. 🙂
Yes, it’s fall but the leaves around here haven’t begun to turn color much less fall off the trees. This is my least favorite season because it marks the end of the year and the growing darkness makes it more depressing. No wonder Christmas was moved to December to illuminate the longest night of the year. However, after this horrible year I am welcoming autumn because I’m hoping for a better 2021 and God willing a vaccine for Covid-19 and a New Democratic Party President and Democratic controlled Congress.
Another sunny day with a high of 70° again. This morning was a chilly 53°. There’s not much of any chance for rain around here for the next ten days. 🙁
October 16, 2020 at 4:18 pm
Hi Bob,
That was interesting, and I did read it all but in a few sittings. I knew the timing of the sun setting but not the names. The sun setting on the horizon at the beach is magnificent to watch. I can see the sky get darker as the sun gets lower. Now I have names for what I’m watching.
In Ghana the rainy season came, and I often got wet, but I dried quickly in the heat. I never saw umbrellas being used. Rain came every day.
Here, like you, I wait until the rain has stopped unless I am at the house where I won’t mind getting wet running inside.
I noticed some of the leaves have started to change in the oak trees. We haven’t had a frost yet, but it has been cold a few nights.
This end has to end. It is the worst year I can remember more for other people than for me. I have just stayed home which I am now sick of doing but I want to stay healthy.
I have a giant star with some white lights around on my fence which is lit every night. My neighborhood has no street lights. I noticed on the next street over that two other houses have outside lights like mine on now.
I’m hoping the same as you are.
It is still cloudy!
October 17, 2020 at 12:04 pm
Sunny and really cold here this morning and the sun kept on shining for a big part of the day. They say the clouds we have now will go away until tomorrow morning so it’ll be much like today again 🙂 So nice to finally have some sunshine when I’m at home 🙂
Albin barks at anyone passing by but he wants everyone to come in and cuddle him 🙂 🙂 Lots of people doesn’t understand that though 🙂 🙂 Well perhaps a good thing because I’m pretty sure that no one willingly would try to break in here while we’re asleep 🙂 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
October 17, 2020 at 2:32 pm
Hi Christer,
It is going to be the same here tomorrow too but a bit warmer than today. I have errands for tomorrow so I am glad for the nice forecast.
Henry scares anyone who comes to my door. His hair is up and his teeth bared. I can touch him and he’ll start to calm down, but he’s mine so he’ll do that. I think he’d run away if someone tried to come inside.
Have a great day!!