Giving thanks for… Fall

One of the things I learned from living in Wisconsin was why people from outside California make such a big deal about seasons. As a native Californian, I thought I knew what seasons were – as I once said to a classmate in college, “We do too have seasons; there are months when it’s cold and rainy, and then it gets nice again.” But when I moved to Wisconsin, I realized why my classmate had just looked at me like I was nuts.

In contrast to what most people assumed, I loved the winter in Wisconsin. Growing up, snow was something that we drove several hours to play in so I associated it with fun, and I had never gotten to experience walking around while it was actually snowing. In contrast, I HATED the summers. In general, I prefer cold to heat and I REALLY can’t stand humidity. So in a lot of ways, fall became my favorite season because I was always so ready for the cooler weather.

In Wisconsin, the turn from summer to fall often seemed sort of abrupt – one day it would be hot and humid, then the next would be much cooler with a noticeable crispness in the air. In San Diego, the change is, of course, less dramatic, and fall here seems to tease us – it will seem like fall has arrived but then in late October, early November, we often have several days where the temperatures go back up (thank you Santa Ana winds). But I love days like today, when it’s chilly enough to be comfortable in jeans and a sweater, and daylight savings time makes the day feel shorter. Hot soup is even yummier and the crispness of the air reminds me of the holidays and all the goodness that goes along with them.

What is your favorite season?