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Thursday, September 15, 2011

The First Frost


I'm not sure I'm ready for it -- in fact, I'm quite sure I'm not -- but the frost warning flickered across my computer screen about 2 this afternoon.

We had a ghastly summer with lots of high humidity to turn our reasonably high temperatures into a sauna.



We ordinarily walk the dogs in the evening. But the heavier-coated golden retriever just looked appalled at the thought. So he and I walked about 10 p.m. when it was at least slightly cooler.

And that was last week.
Good grief.



But another part of me is glad to see fall (that's 'autumn' for you folks across the pond) coming.

I love the bright crisp days and the startlingly blue sky. I love the lack of humidity. I love the changing colors on the trees and the 'burning bush' hedge at the back of my neighbor's garden.

I also love the fact that my computer is happier in the cooler weather.

There was a time before The Prof (with whom I share a life) decided that air conditioning wasn't evil that it was so hot that my computer refused to type the letter "a."

As you might imagine, this put a serious cramp in my novel-writing. Thinking of words without "a" took more time than writing a whole scene.

Now every summer -- with air conditioning -- I don't have that problem.

But even so, I think my computer is happier with cooler weather anyway. I know I am.

I love fall. Fall, for me, is a time for hiking through the woods hereabouts, of picking
apples and making pies and watching football.

It's a time of haunting office supply stories and stocking up on school supplies (yes, even though I'm not a student officially anymore -- unless you count the course in Scottish records I'm taking -- I still need my notebooks, pens and paper fix).


It's also time for television programs to turn up again with their new season.

For years we didn't have a television at all. But now that we do (like air conditioning, it has been allowed in the house because we've proved we can live without it), I find myself looking forward to NCIS, Castle and The Mentalist.

I know that other series start at other times -- and I'm grateful for that because I wouldn't have time to watch them if they were all on the same week -- but traditionally tv started its new season in September, and I'm old enough to be a traditionalist!

It's also a time for deadlines as, this year, I have one coming up in a few weeks.

I'm hoping that the book behaves itself for the rest of September, so I can send it out the door with the same bright optimism (and relief) with which I used to send the kids off to school. It's got a ways to go yet, though. So I'd better get back to work.

First, though, I'd better go throw a sheet over the tomatoes!

Do you like the change of seasons or are you -- like my mother -- a one-season-is-fine-with-me-as-long-as-it-never-gets-hot-or-cold sort of girl?

Anne's next book, The Night That Changed Everything, will be out from M&B Modern in October and from Harlequin Presents Extra in November. Please watch for it!

9 comments:

Kaelee said...

I love the change of seasons. We will be having to cover our 27 tomato plants a couple of nights from now according to the forecast. Have to pick a huge amount of them before then. The neighbors will be happy with the ones we share with them. Our cats are already upset with the changes in temperatures at night as we no longer leave the patio door open all night for them to come and go.

Desere said...

Hi Anne,

I adore season chances , the way things go from dull to green or everything is fresh and new , over here spring has just arrived and I am loving it !

I hope your doing well your new book sounds incredible !!!

Desere

Michele L. said...

I do like Spring, Summer and Fall but don't like Winter very much. Our Winter's tend to be very cold, a lot of snow, very little sunshine and icy. So if I lived in a climate where we had warmer weather that would be fine with me!

Anne McAllister said...

Kaelee,
Yes, we'll be sharing tomatoes with the neighbors, too! Too bad the cats don't appreciate the cooler weather, but they'll adjust.

Desere,
Ah, lucky you getting the gorgeous bright green of spring right now. After the greys and browns and blacks and whites of winter, it is always so spectacularly lush and vibrant! Enjoy! And thanks for the comment on the book. I enjoyed writing it.

Anne McAllister said...

Michele,

I appreciate your not being crazy about very long very cold winters. I get to feeling that way in late February and March sometimes. And when it snows in April, as it did this year, I indeed find it tiresome. But I do like the changes as they are happening. Maybe like "all year school" the changes should come more often! Except, sadly, that's not going to happen!

ev said...

I covered all my veggies tonight just in case it does freeze. I like extending the growing season as much as I can. We're going away this weekend and I might just leave them that way.

Hubby says we must be going camping as it's cold out. Seems to be when we go the most. Or it's snowing.

I love autumn. Especially here in upstate NY,it's never prettier then autumn.

Anne McAllister said...

Ev,
Camping sounds wonderful. Crisp cold air and trees turning red and gold. Yes, that would be a treat. Hope you have a great time -- and find the veggies have survived while you're gone!

Mary Preston said...

We are crawling out of Winter here & into Spring. The jasmine is sweet - it's all pretty sweet really!!

Anne McAllister said...

Marybelle,
Enjoy your spring! I remember the smell of jasmine from the bush by my bedroom window when I was growing up. Mmmmmm.