Hopes of an Early Fall

As most of you know, we’ve been plagued with early wild fires this year. They used to call them forest fires, but since the fires in California will burn anything they come in contact with, the better term is wild fires.
It’s been smoky and hot here for the past ten days or so and breathing clear air is at a premium. In my travels to serve as a Temporary Judge, I was in El Monte twice last week for the afternoon calendar. We talked about the big fire, of course, and our court interpreter noted that the kids from the two Catholic high schools in the Alta Dena area were all home after one day of school because of the smoke from the fire and the fear that the fire would come over the top of the mountain and reach the schools.
Thankfully it did not, but it’s just amazing to think how close we are, all along the foothill communities, to the danger of fire.
I’ve noticed, though, that the nights are getting a little cooler and the mornings a little damper. The evening sea breeze is cooler and five or six o’clock is a pretty pleasant time to be outside. It means fall is coming, and with it, more flying tennis balls around the bird feeder and greener grass in the front yard and the necessity of saying goodbye to the tomato and pepper plants that have supplied us with red and green feasting all summer. I imagine the birds and the bugs will miss them as much as we will!
Himself and I were just talking about whether or not to get a new washer and dryer and I told him I’d really rather spruce up our rather dilapidated patio and buy a new barbeque.
We spend too much time indoors, on the couch, on the computer (although with a wireless network and our net books, there’s no reason not to sit outside and follow our media).
I think some of this is from the fact that I haven’t yet fully returned from Israel. It made a profound impression on me about which I will write ever-so-many-posts in the next few weeks (particularly as soon as I learn to upload pictures to the blog).
So I’m hoping for an early fall; one in which the cooler air will infuse me with something other than heat fatigue and provide some fall-cleaning energy to inspire gatherings in our home as the colder weather sets in and we switch from smoker and grill to slow cooker and soup pot.
Less than 15 days until the Equinox….