It's really difficult for me to pinpoint my favorite season. When people ask, I usually say "fall" because it's pretty and the weather is mild. As I get older though, I've come to appreciate seasonal change. Lately, in this awful heat, I've been longing for winter, which rarely happens because I'm not a fan of the extreme cold and I like snow, but it scares the crap out of me to drive in it (and yes, I have done so when I lived for two years in a place that does get a moderate amount of snow). When I can find the good in something that I usually don't like so much, (excellent reading weather and warm socks) I know that I must just like change.
While fall hits Georgia much later than many places, I find myself daydreaming about the oh so wonderful things that happen in the cooler weather:
-Foliage: I think the colors of autumn are the best of any season.
-Good reading weather: Fall is the perfect time for Gothic novels, mysteries, scary reading challenges, which are rapidly becoming my favorites (or is it the approaching season change).
-Football: Okay, I am not a sports fan, (and luckily, I don't go to a huge football school anymore) but it's kind of fun to watch other people get really worked up (and drunk) over a stupid game (and occasionally keep up with the scores and rankings for the sake of my family). I just can't bring myself to get emotional about it all like everybody else does, but when I look at it's bare bones, it's kind of fun.
-Spices: pumpkin cookies, bread, pie, cup cakes, ginger snaps, spice drop cookies, gum drops, etc. I love (not as much as Jon though) all things pumpkin (excepting my allergy to the seeds) and fall is the perfect time for all things baking oriented.
-Bubble baths and candles: It's kind of hard to take a hot bath in the summer because, well, it's so hot outside. But during fall, I can kick back with my "Autumn Leaves" scented candle, turn off the lights, and relax in the bathtub after a stressful 12 hour work day.
-Fall clothes: I love wearing textured tights, nice closed-toe heels, layers, long-sleeves, bold colors, anything J. Crew in the fall.
I have spent a good portion of my recent days pondering these awesome aspects of the approaching season. Then reality hits and I realize that it's still 100+ degrees outside, my car is a furnace even when driving home from work at 7pm, kids aren't allowed to play outside at the elementary schools, my friend can't rehearse her color guard outside without getting a million parent complaints, and I can't walk outside without my hair becoming a poofy mess.
I heart Georgia! I'll probably be longing for this hotness come January and February, but what can I say? I like change.
Just a side note... thanks to all of the R.I.P. Challenge folks for the encouragement. I'm looking forward to reading all of the fantastic reviews about your reads. I will begin The Woman in White come Saturday, September 1st on my 2.5 hour flight to Denver.
