No, it’s not Christmas, though I really love that time of the year, too. It’s autumn, the time when summer finally gets a clue that it’s time to leave!
I’ve mentioned before (maybe just a few times) how much summer is really not my favorite thing. Especially here in California’s Central Valley. Summer is hot, and this year was the worst I’ve ever experienced. It was hotter for longer than ever before, breaking records that I really didn’t want to see broken.
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On top of all that, all the fires this year made for a depressing and smoky summer. It’s heartbreaking to watch peoples’ homes being destroyed and to look outside day after day after day and see nothing but grey and hazy skies. We spent over a month trapped indoors due to the bad air and the miserable heat.
By the time fall gets here, the summer heat is still with us, but you can feel that it is losing it’s edge. Someone made up the term “hotaumn” to describe this not-quite-summer-not-quite-autumn transition, and I love it! While other places are starting to get really chilly temperatures, I’m still harvesting watermelons and eggplants from the garden. I guess it’s a good tradeoff.
So far, this year’s autumn feels cooler than I remember it being last year. Hopefully that is a good omen for winter. We also had our first rain in several months, which helped clear the air. Who knew the sky was blue?! At a time when fire season doesn’t seem to have a season anymore, cool temperatures will help to greatly reduce the risk, and perhaps they will bring more rain. That would be nice.
Mostly Greek 
How are the sweetgums?
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As of now, still green with hints of change. It’s still warm here, so they don’t really get colorful until about November. I’m eagerly waiting!
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