"These long-banked embers lose their glow as you age, only to be rekindled when you have kids. Then you experience them all again, watching the traditions braid a rope of smoke that your child will never see, but will feel tug at their heart on the first bright autumn day when the leaves show hints of the imminent hues."
Nice. And true: Of all the vague but intense recollections of the seasons of my youth, imprecise but punctuated with moments of remembered smells, sounds, and feelings, it's those of autumn that are the strongest.
Many years ago, a columnist at the Chicago Tribune -- I forget whom -- wrote that the new year should begin on Labor Day, as that marks the end of languid, indolent summer and the onset of Serious Time.
There are numerous ways to demark the seasons. And the one we'd like to use -- weather -- we can't. Weather is too variable. No matter where you draw your line, there will be cooler days before it and warmer days after. (We were in the 60s in mid-Michigan this past weekend; we're expecting 80s by Thursday.)
Climate -- or average temperature -- is your next best bet. The warmest quarter of the year ends tomorrow, Sept. 3. The National Weather Service rounds it off and start the seasons on Sept. 1, Dec. 1, March 1 and June 1.
Daylight is tha' olde waye of reckoning seasons. The longest days of the year run from early May through early August. We still observe many cross-quarter holidays: Halloween at the start of the darkest quarter, Groundhog Day to mark its end; May Day to welcome summer; and, I dunno, August Bank Holiday (original version) to bid it farewell.
As we are no longer an agrarian society, "seasons" are defined by what we do, rather than by what nature does. But we still mark the transitions with holidays. Fall ends with Thanksgiving weekend; summer starts at 5:00 pm on the Friday before Memorial Day; and it ends the moment your alarm goes off tomorrow morning. (There is no equivalent holiday at the start of spring, but explaining the reasons would make this post even longer than it already is.)
Of all the way to define the seasons, the astronomical use of solstices and equinoxes is the least meaningful. It aligns with neither natural nor cultural phenomena, which is why everyone just ignores them.
Equinoxes are midpoints for solstices. The summer solstice may be celebrated by some sun-lovers, but it usually means over two months of hot weather to "enjoy". It's the winter solstice that man has observed. New Years is a fairly recent observation, with some cultures choosing different times around January.
As the shortest day in the year arrives, what can give hope for a better time? Short days, a few cold months and hopefully enough food stored away to last until springtime. Historically the birth of Jesus Christ was probably in the early spring. Christians observe it on December 25th, where the promise of a new "birth" is in the future.
The history of our calendar, like so many other things we take for granted--the alphabet, arabic numerals, measurement--is absolutely fascinating. Knowing just a bit of it is humbling.
Fall to me meant new unsharpened pencils, pristine notebooks as yet unmutilated by mistakes and my incurable habit of doodling... referring of course to school days.
Just thinking today it feels like I'm sliding down towards fall, where the top of the slide is still hot from the summer sun but the end of the slide should be cool.
"These long-banked embers lose their glow as you age, only to be rekindled when you have kids. Then you experience them all again, watching the traditions braid a rope of smoke that your child will never see, but will feel tug at their heart on the first bright autumn day when the leaves show hints of the imminent hues."
Nice. And true: Of all the vague but intense recollections of the seasons of my youth, imprecise but punctuated with moments of remembered smells, sounds, and feelings, it's those of autumn that are the strongest.
"Summer is when you know for certain that tomorrow will be summer, too." Love this!!!
Many years ago, a columnist at the Chicago Tribune -- I forget whom -- wrote that the new year should begin on Labor Day, as that marks the end of languid, indolent summer and the onset of Serious Time.
There are numerous ways to demark the seasons. And the one we'd like to use -- weather -- we can't. Weather is too variable. No matter where you draw your line, there will be cooler days before it and warmer days after. (We were in the 60s in mid-Michigan this past weekend; we're expecting 80s by Thursday.)
Climate -- or average temperature -- is your next best bet. The warmest quarter of the year ends tomorrow, Sept. 3. The National Weather Service rounds it off and start the seasons on Sept. 1, Dec. 1, March 1 and June 1.
Daylight is tha' olde waye of reckoning seasons. The longest days of the year run from early May through early August. We still observe many cross-quarter holidays: Halloween at the start of the darkest quarter, Groundhog Day to mark its end; May Day to welcome summer; and, I dunno, August Bank Holiday (original version) to bid it farewell.
As we are no longer an agrarian society, "seasons" are defined by what we do, rather than by what nature does. But we still mark the transitions with holidays. Fall ends with Thanksgiving weekend; summer starts at 5:00 pm on the Friday before Memorial Day; and it ends the moment your alarm goes off tomorrow morning. (There is no equivalent holiday at the start of spring, but explaining the reasons would make this post even longer than it already is.)
Of all the way to define the seasons, the astronomical use of solstices and equinoxes is the least meaningful. It aligns with neither natural nor cultural phenomena, which is why everyone just ignores them.
https://www.straightdope.com/21341338/is-it-true-summer-in-ireland-starts-may-1
Some day I may regale you with my 11 Seasons of Chicago.
Equinoxes are midpoints for solstices. The summer solstice may be celebrated by some sun-lovers, but it usually means over two months of hot weather to "enjoy". It's the winter solstice that man has observed. New Years is a fairly recent observation, with some cultures choosing different times around January.
As the shortest day in the year arrives, what can give hope for a better time? Short days, a few cold months and hopefully enough food stored away to last until springtime. Historically the birth of Jesus Christ was probably in the early spring. Christians observe it on December 25th, where the promise of a new "birth" is in the future.
The history of our calendar, like so many other things we take for granted--the alphabet, arabic numerals, measurement--is absolutely fascinating. Knowing just a bit of it is humbling.
Fall to me meant new unsharpened pencils, pristine notebooks as yet unmutilated by mistakes and my incurable habit of doodling... referring of course to school days.
Yes! Mom taking us out to load up on new school supplies did take a bit of the sting off of knowing school was about to start again.
"Jordan may be bored and a bit annoyed, but he’s right."
She.
Just thinking today it feels like I'm sliding down towards fall, where the top of the slide is still hot from the summer sun but the end of the slide should be cool.
Cancun?? Anywhere Caribbean-adjacent, inc. Florida, is now too hot for my enjoyment. Portugal is under consideration.