First Rain

The seasons, they are a'changing in our neighborhood.  The weekend brought our first real Fall rain storm.  This wasn't some fluke mid-summer shower.  This was the real deal....a true storm signaling  the unofficial end to summer.  We even got some thunder and lightening, which is a bit unusual in northern California.  And to me, the first rain of the Fall season means...

...bringing in all the sun-bleached towels and inflatable toys from the pool. 

...dusting off rain boots so the kids can enjoy the novelty that is rain, after long summer days that consistently hover in the triple-digit range. 

 

 

...baking a pie, not worrying about the oven heating up the house.

 

...giving up the clothesline until next summer.

 

...motivation to embrace Fall and go shopping with the kids for Halloween costumes.

 

...lighting candles at dinnertime. 

 

...shutting off the sprinklers and letting Mother Nature take care of watering the lawn. 

 

...dodging acorns and slippery, wet leaves on afternoon runs.

 

...opening the curtains and letting the daylight in.

 

I think Shasta County folks probably embrace Fall with more vigor than most.  Summer here is not something you would see featured in a tropical resort brochure.  It's more like a cautionary tale to those that would question the power and strength of Mother Nature in her "off" season. 

 

Blistering.  Long.  Unbearable.  Oppressive.  These are the words that locals use to describe the heat of our summer.  We endure our summer like Minnesotans endure their winter.  You can feel the collective sigh of relief as the first rain of Fall arrives. 

 

And so, I bid farewell to flip flops, shorts and tank tops.  Hello to socks, jeans and jackets. 

Goodbye 80-degree mornings.  Hello frosty nights.

Adios to tourists vacationing on houseboats who don't understand how anyone could live here, in this God-forsaken land of summers that feel like you're living two miles west of the face of the sun. 

So long summer.  Take your well-deserved rest.  

I mean it.  Scram. 

I've got a date with my fireplace and you're not invited.