Last days of Summer

I have some slightly crazy friends who love autumn. I can see the appeal of early autumn. The colors are pretty. On a good weather day, warm sunshine in the afternoon followed by a pleasant evening requiring a sweater or sweatshirt while outside is nice. Apple picking can be fun. Pumpkin pies, soups, stews and tailgate party food is all tasty. And I  LOVE Halloween!

I have certifiably insane friends who claim to love winter and even use the "S" word without flinching. Medical science is working on a cure for that kind of crazy.

 

Getting back to fall, my problem is that the good part of autumn doesn't last long enough. I'm not talking about the official date. If official dates were our only concerns, winter would be over by the 20th of March, give or take a day or two. If you live in a northern state, you know that Mother Nature doesn't read calendars.

Leaves changing colors and dropping are all too soon replaced by naked tree limbs against cold, gray skies. How can anyone be happy about long hours of darkness, icy pavement and cold dandruff falling from clouds? If a political candidate would promise sunshine all the time, he or she would have my vote. Do I truly believe they could deliver? Heck no, but at least it would be a different false promise during campaign season. Hey, if summer lasted as long as campaign season, I wouldn't have a complaint at all! Campaigning is something like 471 days per year, isn't it?

 

Until I am given control over the universe, we have ten days to enjoy summer. My birthday is on the last day of summer this year and I do plan to ask for climate control as my present. So what if it hard to wrap? Just think how happy it will make me! Louie the Labrador in Chip Dunham's Overboard comic is my kindred spirit. If the last panel is partially obscured by my sidebar, Louie is asking "What fantasy world is he living in?"

Let's hear it for the dreamers of this world, especially those who dream in the warmth of the sun with a little umbrella in their drink!