I live outside of Washington, D.C., where spring is a brief explosion of flowering trees, summer alternates between suffocating, humid hot weeks and flash floods, and winter occasionally drops in for a week or two. Autumn is the best, and I cannot wait. Today it will be 97 degrees. We headed north (New England) for relief, where people complain when it’s over 80.
This summer was glorious in the Finger Lakes Region of Central New York State. Really sublime.
Last February I stood at my fifth floor window looking out over snow and ice. Endless brown trees and grey skies inspired me to dream of the warmth and color of summer. I planned to relish it when it arrived.
And so I did.
Many visits to the nearby wildlife refuge which teems with birds, fish, wildflowers and wetland creatures. Hiking along our local rail trail which passes through several farms: cornfields, cattle, horses. Also home to Beaver, Muskrat, Fox, and Deer. Great Blue Heron and so many other birds, thriving in those woods.
And now comes my favorite season, Fall. Plans have been made to ensure I experience it fully.
Hot and humid in New Hampshire nearly all of June and July, but August has been glorious. Today is cooler, a bit cloudy, and 65. My Lamy fountain pen just arrived and I plan on trying it out during these last gasps of summer days - thanks to you :))))
Summer in Southeast coastal Texas is brutally hot and humid. I spend my days inside…in the shelter of my air conditioned home. Not just in the summer, but 365 days of the year. I have a handful of autoimmune diseases…Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus..and a couple of others, that are not conducive to being in the heat or the sun, or walking. My solace is in my art, being able to create everyday. In my earlier “seasons” of my life, there were so many diversions that kept me from my art. In the back of my mind, i would convince myself, “oh, i will have time to focus on my art later.” When I was diagnosed with MS, and soon became unable to do life on my own terms (because my body has a mind of its own), it opened a whole new season for me. So now I paint! It feeds my soul. I don’t know what the future holds or how long I will be able to do this thing that I love so much. I don’t dwell in it…no time to waste!
I paint! I find connection with other artists.
And Nishan…just remember that uphill climb…is the chance for the wonderful ride downhill…wind in your hair, hands in the air, yelling woo-hoo…all the way down!! Peace to you. ❤️
I'm in the UK and summer was very slow to arrive and then seemed to come in a burst of heat that feels like it only lasted a couple of weeks. I've tried to make the most of the short summer by escaping London whenever I could so I could walk and camp. It's been really quite lovely. Although autumn is already showing its presence with shorter days and cooler evenings and the leaves are starting to turn, even though it feels far too early for that.
I live in Ohio and summer has been humid and hot this year. Some days, we walked through the air as if making our way through a warm, sticky blanket, looking at the storm clouds overhead and wishing it to offload it's rain to offer some sort of reprieve. Even after the rain fell, the humidity returned like a warm, clingy poncho.
Just a week ago, we had a taste of autumn air with lows of 50°F and highs of 70°F. I'm already looking forward to it. During this cool spell, we enjoyed a family day at the zoo and it was spectacular.
Over the whole season, we spent some days at the pool, and others at community block parties or festivals. I watched my five year old jump enthusiastically through sprinklers or get hot and sweaty in a bounce house. My four month old baby would sleep in my chest, in the baby carrier, and we would both be sweaty when she woke and I'd take her out for a diaper change.
My son loves peaches and he would eat them whole, sweet sticky juice running down his chin and fingers. Or, we would slice them and top our morning waffles with the sweet, summer fruit.
It was also the season of popsicles after school. It was his last summer at preschool, which is walking distance from home. I'd pick him and his sister up from the daycare-preschool, we'd walk home. He learned to cut open his popsicle with scissors. After he could do it independently, he'd pick one out for himself and one for Dad, and we'd all sit outside in the backyard and enjoy the evening sun together.
That is such a beautiful season, Aileen. I grew up in hot, humid Kolkata and popsicles - sticky and sugary - were a part of my childhood. We are so eager to introduce Rohan to popsicles. This summer, he has simply watched us eat ice cream with eyes wide in amazement.
I live in the southern part of the Midwest, so it's still warm, but the weather has cooled slightly. We had a heat index of 105 F yesterday, so today's high only being 93 F is a relief. Fall doesn't officially start here until at least mid-September, and then we get Sept. and Oct. for fall, then it's winter again until April. Halloween night is always cold here. I've been growing my garden this summer, so I'm a little sad to see it go once the cold weather hits.
I lived a couple of years in North Central Wisconsin and can relate to these patterns. Now the period from Feb to April isn't snowy but it is quite grey and rainy! When we don't see sun for a couple of weeks, the snow doesn't seem so bad an alternative.
Hello to you from Iran. My summer this year was much different from the previous ones because it was full of firsts, ups and downs.
During all my pre-university years, the title of your post Nishant, was the topic of our first back-to-school composition (i'd usually write it, but to read it, i prefered not to)😁😂
P. S.: In Iran, kids go back to school almost at the end of September.
I live outside of Washington, D.C., where spring is a brief explosion of flowering trees, summer alternates between suffocating, humid hot weeks and flash floods, and winter occasionally drops in for a week or two. Autumn is the best, and I cannot wait. Today it will be 97 degrees. We headed north (New England) for relief, where people complain when it’s over 80.
Jo, you must get the most beautiful autumn foliage!
Yes, we do, especially in the hills of western Maryland.
We have beautiful autumn in Vancouver as well, but I am yet to compare it with the East Coast!
This summer was glorious in the Finger Lakes Region of Central New York State. Really sublime.
Last February I stood at my fifth floor window looking out over snow and ice. Endless brown trees and grey skies inspired me to dream of the warmth and color of summer. I planned to relish it when it arrived.
And so I did.
Many visits to the nearby wildlife refuge which teems with birds, fish, wildflowers and wetland creatures. Hiking along our local rail trail which passes through several farms: cornfields, cattle, horses. Also home to Beaver, Muskrat, Fox, and Deer. Great Blue Heron and so many other birds, thriving in those woods.
And now comes my favorite season, Fall. Plans have been made to ensure I experience it fully.
Inspiring! Next year, I hope to develop a better understanding of the flora and fauna around me. 🙏
Hot and humid in New Hampshire nearly all of June and July, but August has been glorious. Today is cooler, a bit cloudy, and 65. My Lamy fountain pen just arrived and I plan on trying it out during these last gasps of summer days - thanks to you :))))
Ooh congratulations! I hope you have fun times with it.
Summer in Southeast coastal Texas is brutally hot and humid. I spend my days inside…in the shelter of my air conditioned home. Not just in the summer, but 365 days of the year. I have a handful of autoimmune diseases…Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus..and a couple of others, that are not conducive to being in the heat or the sun, or walking. My solace is in my art, being able to create everyday. In my earlier “seasons” of my life, there were so many diversions that kept me from my art. In the back of my mind, i would convince myself, “oh, i will have time to focus on my art later.” When I was diagnosed with MS, and soon became unable to do life on my own terms (because my body has a mind of its own), it opened a whole new season for me. So now I paint! It feeds my soul. I don’t know what the future holds or how long I will be able to do this thing that I love so much. I don’t dwell in it…no time to waste!
I paint! I find connection with other artists.
And Nishan…just remember that uphill climb…is the chance for the wonderful ride downhill…wind in your hair, hands in the air, yelling woo-hoo…all the way down!! Peace to you. ❤️
I am pleased to hear that your art practice gives you good company, Debbie. 🙌🏽
Spent time with family, growing and bettering our home, and soaking up sunshine!
That is wonderful. 🙌🏽
I'm in the UK and summer was very slow to arrive and then seemed to come in a burst of heat that feels like it only lasted a couple of weeks. I've tried to make the most of the short summer by escaping London whenever I could so I could walk and camp. It's been really quite lovely. Although autumn is already showing its presence with shorter days and cooler evenings and the leaves are starting to turn, even though it feels far too early for that.
It is always too early and there is never a snooze button. :/
I live in Ohio and summer has been humid and hot this year. Some days, we walked through the air as if making our way through a warm, sticky blanket, looking at the storm clouds overhead and wishing it to offload it's rain to offer some sort of reprieve. Even after the rain fell, the humidity returned like a warm, clingy poncho.
Just a week ago, we had a taste of autumn air with lows of 50°F and highs of 70°F. I'm already looking forward to it. During this cool spell, we enjoyed a family day at the zoo and it was spectacular.
Over the whole season, we spent some days at the pool, and others at community block parties or festivals. I watched my five year old jump enthusiastically through sprinklers or get hot and sweaty in a bounce house. My four month old baby would sleep in my chest, in the baby carrier, and we would both be sweaty when she woke and I'd take her out for a diaper change.
My son loves peaches and he would eat them whole, sweet sticky juice running down his chin and fingers. Or, we would slice them and top our morning waffles with the sweet, summer fruit.
It was also the season of popsicles after school. It was his last summer at preschool, which is walking distance from home. I'd pick him and his sister up from the daycare-preschool, we'd walk home. He learned to cut open his popsicle with scissors. After he could do it independently, he'd pick one out for himself and one for Dad, and we'd all sit outside in the backyard and enjoy the evening sun together.
That is such a beautiful season, Aileen. I grew up in hot, humid Kolkata and popsicles - sticky and sugary - were a part of my childhood. We are so eager to introduce Rohan to popsicles. This summer, he has simply watched us eat ice cream with eyes wide in amazement.
I live in the southern part of the Midwest, so it's still warm, but the weather has cooled slightly. We had a heat index of 105 F yesterday, so today's high only being 93 F is a relief. Fall doesn't officially start here until at least mid-September, and then we get Sept. and Oct. for fall, then it's winter again until April. Halloween night is always cold here. I've been growing my garden this summer, so I'm a little sad to see it go once the cold weather hits.
I lived a couple of years in North Central Wisconsin and can relate to these patterns. Now the period from Feb to April isn't snowy but it is quite grey and rainy! When we don't see sun for a couple of weeks, the snow doesn't seem so bad an alternative.
When I was a kid we lived in western Nebraska and I usually went trick or treating in a snowsuit and a mask.
Brutal!
I love it when parts of my culture are the same/almost the same as other ones. Btw, how was the weather usually like in July?
Hot, humid!
Oh, what a weather.
Hello to you from Iran. My summer this year was much different from the previous ones because it was full of firsts, ups and downs.
During all my pre-university years, the title of your post Nishant, was the topic of our first back-to-school composition (i'd usually write it, but to read it, i prefered not to)😁😂
P. S.: In Iran, kids go back to school almost at the end of September.
Hello Negar, I think we would do the same compositions, even though the new term started in July! 😅