what in the h*** happened to August?

[serious crayons]

Well, admittedly, New Orleans was not ideal in that respect (let alone in August!). I like having four seasons, too. But my preference would be for a nice long summer, long springs and falls, and a short mild winter.

I've always thought somewhere midway between north and south would be ideal: Kentucky, West Virginia, Colorado, Maryland, Deleware ... I'm guessing on some of these, because I'm not totally familiar with all of these climates.

The thing is, you wind up establishing ties and roots in places that aren't necessarily the places you'd pick if you were being completely objective. That's how me ended up in Minneapolis (and missing it since my move to Chicago).

[ednbarby]

This is so funny - I said this last week at work not even meaning to quote the movie, then realized what I'd done and had to smile.

Here in South Florida, May through November all sort of blend together.  It's just hot, hotter, and hottest.  Then back to hotter, then hot.  But I swear, that whole month just completely got away from me.  When I look at work I did that's dated in August, it's like that month never really happened - it was all just a dream.  And July?  Forget about it.  That might as well have been in a different century.

Oh my, I feel old.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Jeff, what is this "humidity" of which you speak?

Fall used to be my favorite season, too. (Though growing up northeast of the Northeast, "fall" ended sometime before Halloween, and was followed by "stick season," which was grey, dark, and cheerless.) And fall is incredibly beautiful out here, too, with snow up high and blue skies and aspens turning gold.

But it's also beautiful in a sad kind of way, and for some reason, over time, the sadness has seemed to grow compared to the excitement of that crisp feeling in the air. Maybe it's because fall never seems to last long enough any more. (Or maybe it's because my current job gives me all kinds of freedom during the summer, and then when September begins, every moment of my time is spoken for at least once. Which explains the getting-up-before-sunrise thing.)

It also could be that I don't live in a place with humidity any more. I wouldn't be able to stand an East Coast summer these days... I've gotten accustomed to living without sweat.

Stick season? Ugh. sounds like November--but here, add rain. 

What's northeast of the Northeast? Canadian Maritimes?

[nakymaton]

Stick season? Ugh. sounds like November--but here, add rain. 

What's northeast of the Northeast? Canadian Maritimes?

Rural northern Maine. (When I say "the Northeast" to people out here, they think "New York City" or "Boston," and rural northern Maine is an entirely different world from those places. Closer culturally and physically to the Canadian Maritimes than to places that people in the US think of as the "Northeast," actually.)

And, yeah, there was usually plenty of rain in October and November. Snow in December was such a relief -- the water feels drier when it's frozen. Until it melts. But for a kid, being outside long enough for snow to melt usually means doing something really, really fun, like building snow castles or sledding or something, so the wet feels like the price you pay for having fun. November rain is... well, from a New England Puritan kind of perspective, I guess it's like being punished without even getting to sin first.

Snow in Colorado is always really dry. And when it melts, it just MELTS, it doesn't do that horrible freeze/thaw thing for months on end. (A long spring is one thing. A long mud season... I don't miss April in Maine, that's for sure. April and November. Such miserable months back East. Pretty nice out here, though.)

[serious crayons]

I think the climate of Colorado would be great. One thing I missed about fall in the west, though -- at least in Idaho, the little time I spent there in the fall; and maybe Colorado is the same -- is red leaves. Lots of yellow. But a lack of oaks and maples.

OK, maybe I'm getting too picky now. But you get attached to these things.

[Front-Ranger]

We have maples!! But they are more like bushes than trees. You have to know where to find them. I'll be glad to show U Katherine!!

[serious crayons]

U BET. 

[starboardlight]

I went to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for an outdoor screening of "The Apartment" last night (great film btw), expecting great balmy summer evening weather. I was freezing. Where did August go? Sitting there on the cold grass, I was wishing I had Jack to cuddle up with. [sigh]

[serious crayons]

I'm sorry, Nipith, but I have limited sympathy for climatic complaints from someone who lives in Los Angeles. (The Jack part, though, I can understand.)

 

[starboardlight]

I'm sorry, Nipith, but I have limited sympathy for climatic complaints from someone who lives in Los Angeles.

ha ha ha. yes, I know. I wasn't really complaining nor looking for sympathy. I was just commiserating. Even here in LA, the loss of August made me sad and lonely too.