The earliest signs of fall

I've been moaning about how long and hot August is, despairing of fall ever arriving. Well, the Bradford Pear tree out front is shutting me up. Today as the late afternoon sun was lighting this side of the tree I noticed two small spots of red among the green canopy. Behold my first hint that summer will be over, fall will indeed come to the middle of nowhere, South Carolina.

Our temperatures haven't been as high this week, either. We didn't even see 90F degrees today. It was miserably humid. Sweat poured off anyone who exerted himself outside. But it wasn't quite as hot. Still, I'm glad I am not driving the bus now!

Autumnal beauty

The leaves are finally turning. We've had such unseasonably warm weather it has taken longer than usual for the colors to burst forth from the trees. They are bursting now. On my bus route out in the county this afternoon I saw some gorgeous trees in vivid red, some bright yellow, deep intense orange. This is one of the reasons I like my job.

My mind is having trouble with the timing, though. I hear Christmas music, see decorations on homes as well as in the stores. The "gift" type junk is on the shelves again. This triggers my mind into the Christmas holiday spirit, even though I know it is too early. I'm beginning to really want to watch my Christmas movies, and I NEVER watch them until after Thanksgiving (with a few exceptions, provisions, quid pro quo).

Autumn colors on the trees sets me in a different mood, though. It's a fall thing. Frost on the pumkins, harvest, scarecrows, roast turkey. With fall coming late and Christmas being forced on me early, I'm all confused.