Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Re: Carrie, or "Autumnal Angst"


In response to Carrie's recent "Fall is awesome" post, I have this to say:

Dear blog world,

I am about to rain on your squash soup recipe/cute leaf-based crafts/darling fall boots parade. Here's why.

I hate autumn. It's the end of summer, which season I do not hate. Autumn signals the death of all living things, people. Including sunshine. Don't get me wrong -- I dig colorful leaves. I dig carving pumpkins. I dig sweaters.

But, Carrie. "Blustery days with no sun"? How is that "happiness"? That means being cold and having Vitamin D deficiencies and not having picnics because you won't be able to feel your fingers by the end of the meal.

Perhaps I was just born with lemonade and the Pacific Ocean in my veins. I love to be barefoot and outside and communing with nature. But when being barefoot and outside and communing with nature is causing me to lose circulation in my extremities, our friendship tends to get a little (pun intended) chilly.

Here's the thing. Autumn leaves really are pretty spectacular. Autumn has its merits...scarves are fun, and woolen hats, and hot chocolate. I enjoy a walk in the crisp air, crunching leaves beneath my feet and admiring the Jack-O-Lanterns on various porches. But I love all of those things if the sun is still out. And in Rexburg, is that often? No. No, it's not.

So, I cling to summer, with everything in my lemonade, West Coast heart. And when I can't hold on any longer, I grab a book, close my eyes, and wait for the sunshine to return. If I could wave a magic wand and make autumn and winter last only last one month each, I would do it. But, as Carrie said on her own blog recently, "I can't be a wizard. So I'm a blogger."

(Valerie, if there was a way to "tag" you in the blog world, I would with this post.)

10 comments:

Carrie Lynn said...

This is why I love you Liz. Because we can disagree and crack up about it!

And I too, hate winter. But just as you are Miss Californian Sunshine, I am Miss Overcast Washington Beach. Blustery days with no sunshine are great! Because the lighting is perfect and the rainy mist makes all the colors of the world more vibrant.

If I could make my own seasons, I would make 6 months summer and 6 months autumn. And I would make you my upstairs neighbor all year round.

Jules said...

I agree with Carrie about the whole 6 months of summer and 6 months of autumn. Winter is a nightmare and spring is pretty meh.

BTW, your button redirects to 'nakedbutnotstupid' and not 'dinosaursarefun.' Just thought you should know . . .

Anonymous said...

There are places where Autumn and Winter are only one month!

And I LOVE the Fall, because I'm on the Pacific Coast in the Bay Area. The light in the Fall makes everything so golden and romantic. I love the changing colors (thank heavens for people who planted deciduous trees in Alameda!) I love the Halloween decorations, and then the Thanksgiving. I love that crispness in the air in the evenings. You just are experiencing the wrong kind of Fall!

Mom
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Valerie said...

Consider me tagged. It's tough being in the autumnal minority.

Anna Alyse said...

Amen Liz. Amen. I don't mind fall so much I guess but it's what it brings that makes me sad.

Winter.

Although, as you have witnessed, apparently I get frost bite on my toes rather easily so I think I should move somewhere like Arizona.
Or Hawaii.

Besides, autumn is short. It's not worth the pain coming- nine months of winter?! We get like, what? Two months of summer, one month of autumn and, as far as I'm concerned and have observed, spring does NOT exist. So there we have it. Nine month winter.
BOO!

Liz said...

Thanks for telling me, Jules! I just fixed it. People, the new button works.

Jacqueline Francis said...

i am conflicted. word verf: leffrabl: when leaves make noises that sound like they are talking in whispers.

Camilla Cole said...

Call me crazy but I am happiest when the sun is hidden behind a thick layer of gray clouds. The sun makes me grumpy. The thing is, I grew up in California, and I think that's why I feel this way. Summer = miserable heat, the kind you would never think about going out in, and especially not barefooted. Fall and winter are outside weather. Overcast days are perfect. Now that we live in AZ, I can see that this is going to be a life-long opinion :)

However, don't even get me started on the extreme antipathy I feel for snow. Especially Rexburg snow...

A said...

I was born in raised in California, but I'm with Carrie on this one (except for the pumpkins--they smell bad and are gross to touch). I love the crisp air of fall, the colors, sweaters and scarves, overcast days. I'm not such a fan of summer. I don't hate summer itself, but I hate the heat, and sweating, and not being able to sleep, and having to squint for dear life. Swimming's nice though.

Spring and fall are the in-between, middle territory between the extremes of summer and winter (unless you're in SoCal, in which case there are no extremes, well, except for when you randomly have the hottest day on record). So when Rexburg would decide to skip spring, it always made me very mad.

In general, I like the seasons, and I miss them in SoCal. I like the natural cycle of it. I like the change, and I think I appreciate each season better when I have reminders of what the others are like. And without seasons, you miss out on flowers like daffocils and tulips.

Beckah said...

I have two words for you.

Ashland. Oregon.

You should come visit and see what true autumn is, and then you'll see why it's awesome.

I love you!