October 13, 2018

Fall is Finally Here

I'm not one who thinks much of what the calendar says when it comes to seasons. Every year we have the calendar proclaiming the first day of autumn to be around the 20th to 22nd of September, but if we're still in the 90s (low 30s) and I'm in a t-shirt getting all sticky and sweaty from working outside, then I don't if the calendar says it's October 9th. It's still summer! Autumn to me is when it's time to pull out my barn sweater and put an afghan on the bed. It's crisp mornings and crunchy leaves under my feet when I go out first thing to do the chores. It's color in the trees as the leaves turn. Until then it's still summer.

Finally, Hurricane Michael pushed summer out of the way this week and let autumn in.

Love this rain gauge 'cuz I can read it from the window!
It was a gift to Dan & me from Mike at Living Prepared.


Rainfall day two.

What a difference! All the critters feel it. Time to make that end-of-summer check list and start getting things ready for winter.

How is it in your neck of the woods? Do you feel the change of season? Are you ready for the next one?

Fall is Finally Here © October 2018 by

17 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

I just hope it IS fall and not early winter.

Michelle said...

It has felt like fall here for awhile now, and I'm loving it!

Leigh said...

Gorges, I hope that's the case too! LOL

Michelle, it's wonderful after summer, isn't it? :)

Goatldi said...

Teasing fall beginning in mid September. A few days of under 80 and 40's for lows. Then not so much for awhile with under 90's and 50's for lows. Back and forth for a bit then last week about two inches of rain and cool lovely fall weather. Flannel sheets on the bed, needing a light flannel shirt in the evening , can consume multiple cups of hot beverage a day.

It is trying hard but then for the weekend mid 80 for two days but that weird transforming type the " high is near 85 but only for about an hour" late afternoon and then temps drop into high 40's by early morning. We do have another fire watch in place for 48 hours because our humidity is dropping lower and we are expecting winds for the weekend that will gust up to 25 - 34 mph. Not a big deal except combine that with lowered humidity, dry conditions in vegetation , stupid people opps accidents and boom it will spread like wildfire. Just a bad combination.

I get the same feeling Gorges expresses. There have been some very subtle signs that this will be a cold, early winter. And over all some changes are coming sooner then expected even though the funky temperatures seem to be trying to hang on. We will see.

Leah said...

We had a freeze here Thursday night, luckily we pulled everything from the garden but our kale. We also mulched and dug the beds with a potato fork so we are all ready for winter up here!

Leigh said...

Goatldi, that's amazing that you can have a 40 degree difference in your daytime highs and nighttime lows. Here, it's only about 20 degrees difference. Obviously has a lot to do with the humidity. Not good news about another fire watch for you. You've had too many this year as it is.

Leah, you're on top of things - good for you! Our first frosts can be wildly irregular, so it's easy to get caught off guard. Your kale should do well for quite awhile hopefully.

Cockeyed Jo said...

I was harvesting cabbages like mad to keeo them from bolting because of our 80-90 degree temps. It took the rains of a hurricane this week to cool us down. Now we're in the 50s as usual.

Goatldi said...

That is pretty typical of numerous areas from central CA on up through to the north where the mountains get higher.

Because of that “quick pneumonia “ is a worry. I have been lucky all these years but know of folks who have healthy stock at night and dead stock in the morning. Hence the name.

Leigh said...

Jo, good for you for being on top of things! Our fluctuating autumns can really make fall gardening a challenge.

Goatldi, I've never heard of quick pneumonia. Sounds like a very bad not good thing! But each area of the world has its unique advantages and challenges.

Annie in Ocala said...

Finally a nice morning here in fl. Although it won't last long, I seen a 90 or two in the forecast... Ho humm. No rain here from the hurricane but it did usher in a couple nice days. I'm waiting till closer to nov to plant garlic an onions I'll plant soon as I find some sets. I love watching the goats cut up in the cool temps this morning... An finally got to milk without swatting mosquitos. Likely another 3-4 weeks before its cold enough to squelch them..

Leigh said...

Oh Annie, I'm so done with the 90s, I can't imagine having to wait on more! At least you got some nice weather in the meantime. Here's hoping it gets cooler in your neck of the woods soon.

Chris said...

Our Spring rain finally arrived Leigh, after a very dry, Autumn and Winter. So even though Spring clocked-on the calander, over a month ago, I didn't get started with gardening until recently. I love having the soil, wet again.

I'm sure next Spring for you guys, will be a busy one. Is it the first one, Dan gets off full-time (retired) without nursing a serious injury?

Leigh said...

Chris, I know you must be delighted with your spring rains. Will it be enough to fill your water tanks? Yes, next spring will be Dan's first without having to be gone for work. He loves being home!

Ed said...

I got that exact same rain gauge for my dad about three or four years ago for the exact same reason, so he could read it from the bedroom window.

For me, fall is harvesting crops. When the combines start rolling through the fields up until the tractors with disks stop their dirt work for the year, it is fall.

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

Leigh, I think we had two weeks of Autumn. And have now rolled directly into winter.

Leigh said...

Ed, it's a great rain gauge! Yup, harvest time certainly smacks of fall. All preparing for a winter rest.

TB, oh no! That's not the kind of season report I want to hear! I hope winter delays it's arrival here. I want to enjoy our reprieve from temperature extremes for awhile. :)

Renee Nefe said...

We went from 90 to 50 over night last week and then had our first snow that didn't stick and finally snow that did stick...all in a week! There's a joke that Mother Nature says "you can't have all 4 seasons in one month." Colorado says "Hold my Beer!"