An uncommon season

If you read my last post, you may have detected a wee bit of a whiney tone in it in regards to fall. Excellent sluething! I grew up in south Florida where the trees/palms have only heard distant rumors of their northern relatives' leaves changing colors. They themselves have never experienced the yearly change. And it's a shame, I say. Due to this childhood deprivation, I now LOVE the seasons and all the changes they bring with it. Now that we live back in Florida and a mere 6 hours north of my childhood home, I am rediscovering a Florida autumn.

I am still gathering data, but I am nearing the conclusion that, just like south Florida, this area doesn't see much in the way of fall. I am reassured by long time locals that cooler temps are to come. (Exhale in relief.) But the word on leaves changing colors: we are just a little too south to get any changes. (Sigh.)

Refusing to believe it and in an effort to boost my morale I went outside to look for some signs of fall, and, to my surprise, I found some..., er, one. Enter exhibit A:
I give you the one piece of evidence in my back yard that I found. And yes, that is a beautiful shade of red with the flecks of green from the summer dying off. It is browning around the edges and is tattered, probably from the recent rains we've been having. I think it is a great example of north tropical fall. Mind you, I had to go searching through the smatterings of brown leaves that simply died off without changing hues.

So how does a lover of autumn cope with such a meager showing? I go looking for the beauty that does exist. As long as I don't expect it to fit into the "autumn" file folder in my mind, I succeed in finding beauty in these parts. Enter exhibits B, C, and D:So as you romp around in your freshly raked piles of scarlet and golden leaves, as you pull that favorite wool sweater over your head, think of me in my flip flops and shorts. Make a cup of chai and enjoy this season.

And when winter rolls around, I'll think of you as I lay on the beach.