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The Annual Lump in the Throat

Every year at this time, I think about the same thing: the most important change-of-seasons. It was made more memorable by what my dog and I were doing: having one of our best mountain bike rides of the year, and in one of our favorite places. (How many untouristy areas can still be found in a place like Colorado?!) This summer has made me sick and tired of hot sun, so it was no small miracle that the day seemed glorious despite being sunny! 

It was getting on to mid or even late morning, but there was still a chill in the air. She and I pretty much like the same temperatures.


I notice the seasonal transitions at other times of the year, but somehow, they don't affect me in the same way that the onset of autumn does. There is no lump in the throat, as there is now. Perhaps that's because it is so great to get rid of another summer. Summer is just a long disease that one must submit to, stoically. Or maybe it's because I start migrating more as cooler weather comes in.

Perhaps I need to reread Frazer's "The Golden Bough." It is easy to understand why the "Old Ones" worshiped the forces of nature and the seasons. A winter solstice celebration was definitely in order! So too were religious festivals in the spring. Some people even had mid-summer festivals.

But what about autumn? There were harvest festivals certainly, but not celebrations of the autumn equinox and the end of thermal misery. Very strange... 


Comments

Anonymous said…
It has been annoyingly warm here in Colorado this summer. I'm with you - bring on Fall. Winter can skip us if it wants except we need snow for water resource.

Chris
I'm afraid I'll leave the winter of Colorado to Coloradans, Chris. (grin)