My older brother once told me that Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" was his all-time most depressing song. As I gain the perspective of another turning of seasons, I understand more and more what my brother and Mr. Henley were on about.
This year, summer proved itself as fleet and elusive as ever. Students, already well into the fall semester's routine, aren't the only ones who can attest to it. Catching sight of my grill and hammock through my backdoor, I feel a wistful longing for a season that, despite lingering, is palpably slipping away.
The equinox has come and gone, and daylight succumbs to the advancing dark. The promise of summer is never more distant than it is in deep September. But fall brings a different promise- one of solitude and calm.
When the world is crackling with sunshine and the abuzz with summer heat, I am captivated. The tomes that line my bookcases don't stand a chance against the siren songs of cookouts and rounds of disc golf. But vacations, barbecues, and weddings have had their day. Autumn's hush has fallen. It's finally time for my favorite recliner and a good book. The Boys of Summer may be gone, but at least now I can get some reading done.
Bring on the cool nights. My chiminea is loaded and ready to provide essential warmth on these welcome fall evenings. Crickets and cicadas still sound their songs at dusk, but the chill in the air suggests their seasonal tune is fading.
The signs are everywhere. In my garden, tomato plants sag and cucumber vines wilt. I'll savor the last of the year's yields before these tired plants make way for hardier squash. In the garage, my lawnmower enjoys deserved, unhurried breaks of a week or two between clippings. Softer light streams through my windows at more gradual angles.
These signs don't yet intimate a return indoors, but rather suggest blankets and patio heaters be brought outside to add to the delight of the evening.
If you're considering packing up the deck and patio furniture early this year, what's your hurry? Instead, add some warmth to your setting and extend the outdoor season. Check out the heating options at FirePits.com and PatioHeaterStore.com and stay outside a little longer. Toddies and cocoas were made for nights like these.
There's something about coming home to find a package waiting on your doorstep. I experienced this luxury yesterday. It wasn't a significant purchase- a basic messenger bag from AllBriefcases.com- but it was one of those things I just kept putting off.
The buying cycle for this bag is a familiar story. I knew it was time to replace my worn-out work bag, but I never really found anything that caught my eye when I was out and about. When I finally blew out the shoulder strap on my old bag last week, I had to make a decision. I hadn't really given much thought to our briefcase store, but I figured it was worth a look.
Was it ever. Where department stores had a dozen or so options- if that- AllBriefcases had well over a hundred designs. And that doesn't include color options. I was able to find something I liked quickly, and it showed up at my place a few days later.
A smooth online transaction always gives me the giddy feeling that I somehow beat the system. None of my free time squandered on a fruitless search. None of my gas frivolously burned on pointless driving. Just the exact messenger bag I wanted, there to greet me at my front door at the end of a satisfying Monday.
