New England has a lot of visitors and many of them drop in regularly. Fall checked in today. It wasn't schedule to arrive for another month and I understand it is here for just a few days. No details, but I imagine this short visit is a preliminary trip in anticipation of its regular 4 month reservation that begins a month from tomorrow.

Maybe Fall just wanted us to know it was coming. "Get ready," I could almost hear the light wind wisper on my walk through the South End of Boston on my way to the Prudential Center. Walking along the streets that my Mother played on as a child, I watched my fellow morning commuters all walking along the sidewalks to work. Most were in their shirt sleeves, moving perhaps a step or two quicker than usual. A few wiser, older folks had on a sweater. The young girls were wearing their bear-it-all summer fashions and hurrying along with clenched fists and teeth.

"Get ready," I saw written on the tips of leaves just turning red from a sudden overnight cold snap. "The dog days will be ending soon," they warned. Baseball playoff season is right around the corner, along with the first game of football. College kids are moving back into town. The days of shorts and T shirts are numbered.

The weatherman says we will return to the 90s by the end of the week, the unseasonable cool ending in just a few short days. But Summer is already packing, organizing the beach blankets and folding up the bathing suits for another year. And Fall is inspecting the area, getting ready to enjoy its yearly stay in New England.

I suppose people who favor the warmer states watch the weather change here and wonder why anyone lives in New England. Many of her native children grow up and leave her for warmer places. But a few of us stay, and others join us. And together we mark the passing of the year with the celebration of each season.

It's time to find my driving gloves and stocking cap now. The best driving season is upon us. I got the message. I have to get ready.

 

Nice touch, Bill.
I like the seasons, too. Wish I were coming to the Vermont Meet! Is the Austin Healey coming out this fall?

 

Jim. Maybe the Healey will come out to start the engine and let it warm up a bit. I'm getting near the end and if I get to stay home this year, I should have it finished over the winter. There are many parts on this car that were made by hand. My hand!

 

It sure has felt like fall here. I'm not quite ready, but September is one of the best months in New England, IMHO. Blue skies, crisp mornings, leaves changing.....

 

I agree. Mid summer top down driving can get a bit hot.

 

Well done LB. Could you can some of that and send it my way. Today's high was 100 and something again (new record, who cares anymore) and no relief for at least another week.

 

Bill,

I know exactly what you are talking about. It's almost time for the "rites of autumn" drive. I'd thought, for the last few days, that this weekend's Gathering in the Garden State would be that drive, but summer is coming back for one last encore before it leaves and it looks like the rites of autumn drive will have to be sometime in September.

I know too what you're saying about living in the Northeast. With all the weather that we have to put up with why do we stay? Actually, I'd never looked at it quite that way. For me the Northeast is the only place to live, the weather is just another of those little nuisances that tests your determination. To those who don't like it here the weather is an excuse to leave, to those of us who love it here, the weather is just another test of our comittment.

Last night Andrew, Adam and I went to Shea Stadium to see our Mets play the Padres. We bought the tickets months ago thinking that it would be a warm summer evening. Instead, it was misting for the first 4 1/2 innings, and chilly for the entire game. There's something about the way the wind comes in off Jamaica Bay and swirls around the stadium. When its chilly in the northeast, its cold in Shea Stadium. But so what. It was so cold and damp that the pitchers, Maine for the Mets and Young for the Padres, were ineffective. We saw baseball the way it was supposed to be played. Lots of hits, lots of runners and lots of excitement. Our Mets are in the race again this year, and baseball is at its best in autumn. Best of all, our Mets won and we went home cold and happy.

So now, with this thread as my inspiration, I'm going to go downstairs to find my gloves, my scarf and my leather jacket. The leaves are starting to turn, the acorns are starting to fall from the trees. The crab apples are starting to glow a deep red, and its almost time for my long, top down, "rites of autumn" drive.

Thanks for the reminder.

 

I knew you'd get it buddy. I'm sorry I won't see you this weekend.

 

I have a friend in Alabama who is telling me the same thing Ray. It must be tough walking through that kind of heat day after day. We seldom get consecutive days over 100 here.

 

It's not the walking so much as the breathing in general. It's like inhaling in front of a blast furnace. Maybe that's why we tend to talk so slooowww here.