Life after Summer

Having lived north of the Mason-Dixon line for most of my life, where Labor Day marks the end of summer, it was always a bittersweet time of year.  We would squeeze in the last few weekends at the lake while watching the changing colors of the leaves. Fall mornings were greeting us with crisp air leaving a promise of winter’s soon arrival. All the years I spent in the South, still found me in the same frame of mind even though the winters there were mild and short.

My move to the Southwest has however turned my love of the seasons upside-down. Labor Day weekend still marks the end of summer but now the promise if of many months of almost perfect weather.

A sign that we have once again lived through the heat of the Arizona sun. Countless days of sunshine and temperatures which cause people to faint during normal activities.

The patio furniture will now be in full use.  The outdoor grills will be set ablaze and not by the relentless sun. We will spend countless hours outdoors enjoying every minute. We will even be able to walk across the sidewalk without burning our bare feet.

After three months of complaining about the heat, we now are at peace with nature. The beautiful days remind us of why we endured the heat.

People ask me if I miss the snow. I reply on occasion. On those occasions, if need be, I am only a couple hours away from romping in the snow, only to come back home to perfect weather.

With that said,  I raise my Margarita in saying goodbye to the Arizona summer and welcome the blissful days of fall, winter, and spring.  “To life after summer, Arizona style!”