Sunday, September 13, 2009

Neither Here nor There



Between Labor Day and Fall Equinox, here in DC at least, it's neither summer nor fall - or - it's both summer and fall, all at once. Both or neither, both AND neither. It's a weird time of year.

All the kids are back in school, everyone has returned from summer vacation. Now the people here are tilting hard into their professional lives, but still wearing flip flops around the neighborhoods. The traffic has once again become incredibly fierce, and the crows are cawing their asses off (as they do in autumn), but it's still warm enough during the days to wear shorts and tank tops. I feel like I'm in an episode of The Twilight Zone or at least in some kind of alternate reality where worlds collide - or do they?

Evenings are cooler now, the trees are starting to pull their energy inwards, as they do in fall. The process gives them a shrivelled look, even though their leaves are still green. But the days are still slightly longer than the nights, the crickets and cicadas are still singing loudly and constantly, and the mosquitoes are fierce, which makes it seem like it must still be summer. Or is it?

One week till equinox, thank goodness. After that moment of balance, we can tip wholeheartedly into fall (while those living south of the equator can step fully into spring).

I'm always a bit wonky at this time of year, a bit disoriented. Is it still summer? Is it fall? Don't ask me!

17 comments:

Tom said...

i've been catching up on your posts since being away from the comp for a few days, and you make many good points! As for fall, i have the opportunity to take a vaca in a couple weeks, and am seriously thinking of going north to check out some hikes and fall colors...us tree lovers love the late seaons best..the colors and the branch architecture...glorious.

Lynne said...

It is a strange time of year; summer not wanting to let go of its hold and fall not quite certain yet. Yesterday (still at the cabin in CO) we had snow flurries! The trees are just starting to change up here. Last week we had temps in the high 70's!

Yep, definitely confused.

Reya Mellicker said...

Glorious is the perfect way to describe fall. I'm looking forward to it!

steven said...

hi reya, the biosphere's building a bridge between seasons right before our senses. the morning's start cold as a cat's curse and warm up to an improbable warmth and then soon as the sun's dropped low enough - wham!! it's cold!!
thanks for filling me in on the crows by the way. i wondered why so many of them had no asses. they've cawed them off eh? ha!!
have a peaceful day. steven

ellen abbott said...

I know it's fall because the doors and windows are open and the AC is off. September is usually more like July here as far as temps go so I'm wondering what this early break means.

Unknown said...

Last year I was so obsessed with the summer/fall transition; a bit less this year, but it is an intriguing time of year. Since Indian Valley's summer climate is pretty brutally hot, we're oddly similar to your description of DC--still hot in the middle of the day, but that certain feeling in the morning & evening air that "smells" of fall. Indian Valley is odd among places I've lived in that here the solstices & equinoxes often do correspond pretty closely to actual seasonal weather changes.

Cynthia Pittmann said...

Reya, yes, life in-between...seasons or whatever else- makes for a complicated life. Still not knowing what to expect is exciting?

Anonymous said...

Hi Reya! You described this time of year perfectly...and yes those darn mosquitos are very fierce!

Whitney Lee said...

I love this time of year. The days are still nice and warm and yet the nights are so pleasant for sitting outside.
Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the incredible colors found spread across nature, but I also love the cool air that seems to breath freshness into everything. It's like a fresh start every year.

Sandra Leigh said...

The Equinox? Already? Oh, dear. Time has up and run off, leaving me panting in the dust. The colours of Fall came early to the island this year, because it was so dry - but I didn't sleep well last night, because it was muggy here. Such seasonal confusion.

Elizabeth said...

Actually it's sort of magical
the lovely idea of in-between
yes, summer not yet gone
but we have to remember to savor it since we
are quite aware of its transience
Truly my favorite season of all.

Ronda Laveen said...

I always feel like I have one foot in each world at this time of year. One foot in summer, one foot in fall.

Kerry said...

I know the feeling. Warm days (ice cream!) and cool nights(flannel shirt?).

NanU said...

I don't know either, but I love this time of year!
The downside is, now that the sun is not up before my alarm goes off, it's so very hard to get out of bed in the morning.

A Cuban In London said...

Ditto here. The morning chill gives way to a nice warm sunshine that forces one to dress down. Strange interim between summer and autumn; I love it, though.

Greetings from London.

Merle Sneed said...

Fall doesn't actually occur here, which is disorienting in its own way. I measure the change of seasons by the shortening of the day.

My best to you!

Barbara Martin said...

I'm waiting for Mercury Retrograde to end so I can on with my life, though I have been trying to close up all the old business left from the year.