Goodbye, Summer

I love summer. My sentiments have been long fashioned by our agrarian society, with summers off from school as a kid, while weeks and months stretch by with little responsibilities. I've managed to slip into perpetual childhood as high school teacher, so still enjoy the freedom and excitement of summer holidays. It's not that I don't also love the other seasons. There's just a special quality to summer: the air, the light, the warmth, the cool crisp glass of a sauvignon blanc sipped while lounging on the deck... But here I sit on the eve of autumn, with the first day of fall just around tomorrow's corner.

Fall is second-best, and in my mind has taken over the "rebirth" season traditionally held by spring. The start up of a new school year with it's beginnings and promise, the re-greening of parched shrubs and grass after the drought of summer, and the new clothes hanging in the closet from a back-to-school shopping trip. I'm not disappointed that fall is here, it's more like bitter-sweet as I say goodbye to my first love, summer, and hello to autumn.

Pagans had the right idea with ritualistic ceremonies to herald the change of season. To celebrate the last day of summer, after work this afternoon I headed out on my bike to enjoy the final summer breeze.

Soaking up the last of the summer rays on my bike.

Goodbye summer, hello fall. I know this means seeing darkness soon when I wake up, and the evenings grow shorter and cooler. But I'll make up for that by pulling on a new sweater when enjoying the sunset from the deck.