I have to admit that August 31 is one of my favorite dates on the calendar. Not because of any special occasions; no birthdays, anniversaries, or memorable events are marked on that day for me. So what makes it so good?
It means that the next day, September 1, will mean that we are finally in the ‘Ber months. Smartphone dictation can be tricky. When I first said it, the tech responded with ‘Vermont.’ Not a bad place to be in September, I’m sure, but also not what I had in mind. I tried again and the tech came back with ‘Burr months.’ Close, but no cigar! If you haven’t figured it out yet, the ‘Ber months all end in “ber”: September, October, November, and December! It is my absolute favorite time of year. The best season of all—FALL!
Now there are some weeks in September that will feel more like summer than fall. In fact, we’re in the last official week of summer right now. It’s feeling like it as well. Sunny and 80s today. Chance of a rain shower this afternoon and evening. Yep, that is summer all over itself.
But we’ve also had ‘False Fall’ one of those seasons in Tennessee when the weather is playing tricks. We’ve got all kinds of seasons in Tennessee—more than just the typical four that most are familiar with. We have winter, although it’s not too bad usually. Then we have all the ‘little winters’ in the spring: Redbud Winter, Dogwood Winter, Blackberry Winter, and so on; the lists vary with some having as many as 6 ‘little winters.’ Then we have False Spring and Mud. We eventually get to actual Spring which is also known as ‘Pollen Season.’ We’ve got Summer. We’ve got ‘Hotter than Hades,’ which is somewhat milder than ‘Core of the Sun.’ We’ve got Dog Days from July 3 through August 11. Hopefully by now you get the picture.
But the good news is that when we hit the ‘Ber months, we can pretty much expect good weather until we get to Winter which is usually four full months away. There will be some warm spells and there may be a tropical system that fizzles out and drenches things. But mostly we’re going to be having moderate weather that makes for delightful days and cooler nights.
All of that means that the ‘Ber months are time for hiking, biking, paddling, camping, fires, star-gazing, and all the rest of the things that feed my body, soul, and spirit.
As I write this I’m less than a week away from our Annual Daddy-Daughter Great Smoky Mountains National Park Camp. We’ve been doing this for a decade now. We’ve had some of the best hikes and meals and conversations possible during these times. We’ve had friends from out of town come and enjoy it with us. We have camped in a variety of spots and found campsites that we really like. We eat some of the best good out there dining al fresco. We have honed our skills and refined our kits so that we can set-up a great camp time after time. I have no doubt that we’ll do so again. This year, in fact, we will be setting up right as the Autumnal Equinox occurs on Monday, September 22 at 2:19pm EDT.
September is also the return of the Pathfinders Hiking Group after the summer hiatus. We’ve already had a great hike to a beautiful waterfall. There will be more to come.
I will be getting out on my own as well. I’ll be watching the progress of the season as plants bloom and put forth their final efforts at propagation. I’ll be watching the trees in our back yard as this is our first year to see what they look like in the fall. I’ll watch the colors start up high and move down the mountains until they reach the valleys. I’ll go sit in a spruce-fir forest and breath in the smell that hearkens of wintertime ahead. I’ll sit by a stream and watch the gold and yellow and red leaves swirl in the water that is also slowing down.
October will bring a profusion of pumpkins and all the decorations for Halloween. It will be apple season—time for cider and pies! Children will be eager to dress up and get bags of candy. Sweaters and hoodies tend to come out in October.
November will bring Thanksgiving and all the feasting that comes with it. The weather will still be great for hiking—in fact, it may be some of the best of the year with cooler temps but not yet requiring heavy layers. National Take-a-Hike Day will be the 17th. As if I needed someone else to tell me to take a hike (although they have, but that’s another story)! Family and friends and food and festivities will add to the rich flavor of the season. Oh yeah, don’t forget ‘Opt Out Friday’—a great replacement to ‘Black Friday’ and all the commercialism that goes with it.
December can sometimes be more like Decem-burrrrr! But not too bad. I love to have a Cold Camp in December when I have to break out more insulation and eat soup and stew and comfort foods. It will also mean the winter sky at night which is often cold and incredibly clear! Orion will be marching across the sky with Canis Major, his trusty dog, following close behind.
Before we finish the ‘Ber months we’ll have some of the best times of the year. Yes, indeed, I feel fully alive during the ‘Ber months. The seasons change and the world spins round and the stars shine in the brightest and most beautiful ways.
Character in the Making 