I noticed it just a few days ago. I was sitting on the back porch reading the newspaper and soaking in a little late afternoon sun. All of a sudden the blissful warmth faded out. I looked up and saw the sun going down behind the birch trees at the top of the hill. A quick glance over at the clock showed it was only 5:30. How is this possible? Isn't still summer?
Yes. In fact, it still is summer, but it's also New England. And we know what that means. This is been a truly odd summer, starting very late with weeks and weeks of continuous rain. That was followed by scorching heat and ultra high humidity. And then... fall. I really can't complain about the current weather. It's been warm and dry during the day with tons of sunshine. The nights have been very very cool, absolutely perfect for sleeping. Still, I'm somewhat amazed that fall is right around the corner. In fact, we've already seen a few leaves turn. Well OK, TheWife™ has seen a few leaves turn — I'm so colorblind that the foliage has to be almost neon before I can see it.
More than any other year so far, this one has seemed very compressed. When I was sitting on the back porch looking up at the hill, the trees that had been snapped in half by last year's ice storm were in full view, which brought back memories of not only the ice storm, but of all the events preceding and following. Honestly, I look forward to the day when the change of seasons will not always bring reminders of sad events past. Right now, fall's approach marks the anniversary of my dad's entry into the hospital with pneumonia... followed by his decline. I have no direct control over this, but I'd really like the season back as my own. It's always been my favorite time of year and it would be nice to not have it be diminished by my own thoughts.
Article comments
1 - Tom Johnson
You're colorblind? You learn something new every day. Quick! What color is the top of BC? What color is a banana? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?
2 - MarkSaleski
not completely, like i know red, yellow, etc. i get into trouble with various shades of gray, green, brown...which can all look the same depending on the amount of light.
you should have seen it when i had an eye exam recently. the doctor pulls out that book with the dots that show numbers? i saw the number in the first and could see NOTHING in the rest.
3 - Mary K. Williams
Hope you enjoy the show
4 - jcmosquito
Better Days - a great little album I'd quite forgotten....... will pull it out later today.
5 - Cindal Lee Heart
I really enjoyed this article Mark, partly because I also live in New Hampshire. So I can relate with the emotions that inflict during this part of the year. I am tempted to check out Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes- Just to place myself in the same mindset you offer through this article. :)
Cindal Lee Heart
6 - MarkSaleski
hey, guess what? they did NOT play "Hearts of Stone" last night so you know what that means.....SUMMER IS NOT OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7 - Mat Brewster
I, too, am colorblind and I always get those little dot tests wrong.
Random Story: A friend of mine in college was completely color blind, like he only saw black and white. One time, while riding down Atlanta Highway in Montgomery I hit a left turn arrow as it turned yellow.
The friend, in back, yelled "its pink! its pink! Go Go Go" I turned, then turned to him and asked "pink?"
He then realized his mistake and said, "pink, yellow, whatever, you needed to go fast."
It was funny in person. Maybe not so much in cyberspace.