My Second Favorite Season

I don't know how Minnesota does it.

But Labor Day weekend was muggy, hot and windy -- perfect end-of-summer weather.


And today, now that school is back in session?
It's sunny, crisp and cool. It was 51 when I woke up this morning, and we'll probably top out at 65 this afternoon.

(Can you feel the crispness?)

Even the trees are suddenly changing.


Creepy.

I first noticed this abrupt weather shift, which I've come to see as distinctly Minnesotan, back in college. During my teen years, I spent every summer day possible at the beach. (Minnesota has thousands of clean, cool, beautiful lakes, doncha know. More shoreline than Florida, California and Hawaii combined. And no hurricanes!) My youth pastor was the waterfront director at a local Christian college, so my friends and I had free access to a ski boat, windsurf boards and our own "private" beach. My typical summer uniform was a swimsuit -- which I only took off to shower and to sleep -- topped by ratty t-shirts and shorts for the daily trips to Pizza Hut. (Six breadsticks for $1.99.)

It was bliss.


But whenever school started, I knew it was time to pack the shorts away. For verily, the weather always changed the first week in September. Shorts and tank tops were traded for jeans and sweatshirts. My feet rediscovered the wonder of shoes. The AC was turned off, and the windows thrown open. The crowns of the maple trees started to blaze red.


Fall had begun.


For sure, more warm days lay ahead of us, just as they do this year.

But the state has spoken. The change is underway.

Hello autumn.

P.S. The start of September also means my blogging break is over. So in addition to this post, you'll also find me musing about my children's non-sleeping habits over at 5 Minutes for Parenting today.

27 comments:

  1. Welcome back! And I'm a little envious of your gorgeous fall weather - we won't get that for another 4-6 weeks!

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  2. That sounds like perfect weather. I love fall. It is my most favorite season!

    And welcome back.

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  3. Our weather has definitely shifted too! We had first frost yesterday - time to sort out the kids' clothes and find the pants once again :)

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  4. I love Fall! New notebooks and pens and crayons! Rainbows in the trees! Jonathan Yuhas on color patrol! I can wear jeans again -- although my sister refers to them as a "denim prison" for her legs. Menswear inspired heels. LOVE. IT.

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  5. I do feel the crispness. I also feel fat in this sweatshirt. It fit better last year.
    But I love the shifting of the MN weather, moving me along in my own change of seasons. It's like the great analogy of life, starkly different seasons, sometimes changing over-night. I love it.
    So glad you're back!

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  6. Wow, am I jealous. :-) It is still 97 degrees here . . . .

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  7. It's gorgeous and 68 outside here, too. Autumn is truly my best friend that I haven't seen since last year! =)

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  8. Still triple digits here.

    I would have to take anti-depressants if it started getting cold so early!

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  9. It was 4 (39.2F) on our way to church on Sunday.
    Why exactly do you like fall?

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  10. Welcome back!

    Our weather is much like yours today, and I'm lovin' it!

    Welcome fall!!!

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  11. My first August in MN, I was staying with friends who had moved here from PA a few years before I had. My surrogate mom told me about this phenomenon. She said, "It's like when Labor Day comes, a switch goes off, and it's instantly fall."

    Back in PA it's more of a gradual onset.

    But I have to admit, the crispness of the air is wonderful. I'm going to try to just enjoy it without thinking ahead to winter too much.

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  12. When I woke up to a chilly bedroom this morning, I did a happy dance. I work regular pants to work for the first time since May. How wonderful. I love MN fall!

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  13. Fall is my favorite time of year: crisp weather, crunching leaves, smelling the annual debut of fireplaces. Oh, also pumpkin guts spread across my house during our annual teen pumpkin carving contest, children overloaded on candy and back to school traffic. Aaahhh! Fall!

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  14. pizza hut breadsticks are my weakness! sheer bliss in a cardboard box! mmmmm...

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  15. That IS bizarre! I live in California, and it's just not like that at all. The seasons all sort of bleed slowly into each other...if you can call them seasons. I do love autumn, though. And the beaches? I'm sorry, but I don't think you can call it a beach if it's not connected to an ocean. Lakes are great, but they are just that, lakes. But that's just the Californian in me. Hee hee!

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  16. i'm so jealous!!!! it's been so hot here.

    when we lived in ohio, the weather in the fall was AMAZING. loved it. didn't love the winters so much, though.

    oh fall!

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  17. I love the fall, too. Because of the cool weather and the buying of school supplies but mostly because of the introduction of pumpkin muffins and pumpkin pie and pumpkin scones back into the baking repetoire.

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  18. I cannot tell you how nostalgic this post made me...fall is my favorite season, and when I lived in the Midwest it was even better because of the amazing colors of the trees. There's nothing like the crisp air, the deep blue sky.

    Glad you're back!

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  19. I'm so jealous. Fall here in GA always sneaks up on me. After 11 years here, I still can't predict when it'll show up. I just know one morning I'm gonna wake up and have to frantically inventory socks and jeans for the kids.

    The only advantage: by the time I need to buy fall clothes for kids, they're all on clearance. :)

    Steph

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  20. I am thoroughly jealous. It's high of 95 here today - code orange no less. But I'm off to Minnesota in October for a couple weeks, and I'm anticipating the state in all its Fall glory!!!

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  21. p.s. I've already made pumpkin bars this month. :)

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  22. It's leaves changing and weather cooling time around here, too, just like summer was waiting RIGHT UNTIL SCHOOL STARTED to scram.

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  23. Fall is my favorite, by far.

    I'd be envious of how quickly fall comes your way if I didn't know how long winter stays. :)

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  24. I'm so jealous! Down here in hurricane country, it was noticeably not as hot...at 7 a.m.! But the day went on to be very noral for us!

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  25. I'm so very jealous! I'm praying for a sooner than later Fall here in TN!!

    Happy weekend!
    Love,
    Fran

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  26. I love and miss the Minnesota fall. Enjoy your crisp mornings and lovely days, unfortunately, it will all be gone too soon.

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