Weather

The autumn, or more correctly here, the fall, is the loveliest time of the year in the South Eastern part of the US (not Florida, that's a region unto itself). The temperatures begin to moderate: we've had lows in the high fifties the past few nights, which means that the house can get cool again without the use of air conditioners: the highs can still be pretty warm: next week they're forecasting highs of 87 --- but it doesn't get warm as early in the day, and the evenings cool off much faster.
We have a lovely deck on the back of our house, and at this time of year we love to eat outside: for a couple of months more, I hope, especially salads and food where the ambient temperature isn't going to ruin the food.
And although it isn't quite as stunning as the North East, the trees are about to start turning colour: the maples, especially, but also the dogwoods and some others give hues of burning red, deep purples, as well as browns, tans and yellows.
Around our house, in particular, there is something special: we have a number of fragrant tea olives: these have tiny little white flowers which appear at various times of the year: we seem to have some that flower in late September, and others that bloom in May too: anyway, in September we get a couple of weeks of beautifully, delicately scented environments. And as delicate as it is, it can carry for a good distance: fifty yards away, on the town square, there is still a hint of it carried on the breeze.

Yours, falling for the season to come,
N.