Is it Fall? Or Christmas?

I think Mother Nature is confused. It’s October, which is hard enough for me to believe, but some of the small trees in my neighborhood have already shed their brightly colored leaves. They were pretty for about a half a second – and then they were on the ground where Maggie and I have been crunching them underfoot on our daily walks.

 

Okay, that’s sort of normal for this time of year – maybe a little soon for the foliage to completely surrender. But it was also in the mid- to upper-70s last week. So which is it, Mother Nature? Late Summer or Early Fall?

 

Both, I guess. Because this morning the temps plummeted to the upper 30s. Brrr.

 

And now I have to say what I say every Fall: I’m. Not. Ready. For. This!

 

Of course, some people I know have been ready for Fall since sometime around mid-July. And others have even started in on Christmas. That, for sure, I’m not ready for.

 

But it does no good to complain as the changing of the seasons is going to come whether we’re ready for it or not.

 

Doesn’t mean I’m breaking out my warmest winter coat just yet. But I did unearth a pair of gloves the other morning.

 

And it also doesn’t mean I’m breaking out the Christmas tree and all my pretty, sparkly decorations either. I promised myself this year I’m going to let the fall holidays have their due before I haul out the tree.

 

Even if I’m not a big fan of orange.

 

Besides, I have a ton of pumpkins – glass, ceramic and fabric – and they do me no good tucked away in a tote in the garage.

 

And – c’mon – it’s me.  In addition to the one or two orange pumpkins, I also have hot pink and mint green pumpkins. Who needs to be realistic in Jane’s Domain?!

 

I have a neighbor down the street who is equally as confused as Mother Nature. Last night when Maggie and I passed their place, I saw an entire pumpkin and gourd display in their yard, complete with orange lights and Dollar Store scarecrows.

 

But, since their blinds were open and I could see past the kitchen and into their living room, I also noticed they’ve already put up their six-foot Christmas tree.

 

You can’t even fake that it’s their “Fall” (read: both Halloween and Thanksgiving) tree since red, yellow, blue and green lights shout neither “Trick or Treat” nor “Happy Thanksgiving”!

 

I don’t know whether or not they’ve decorated the tree with ornaments yet, mostly because I didn’t want to get caught staring. I’d have to maneuver through their bales of hay to press my nose up to the glass – and I’m not that curious. Plus, I don’t relish the idea of getting arrested as a Peeping Tom, er, Jane.

 

Who’d walk Maggie before I got bailed out?

 

I used to get a little grumpy when stores rushed the holidays. First, they put up Christmas decorations immediately after Halloween, along with their 50% off bags of Fun-Size Snickers and Almond Joys. Then they started putting up their displays before Halloween. Now, you can barely get through Labor Day without seeing a few garlands and ornaments and trees decking the halls by the first of September.

 

No wonder people get confused and start decorating for all the last quarter of the year holidays concurrently. It’s a HalloThanksMas kind of experience.

 

But, hey. In my old age, I’ve decided that people can do whatever they want.

 

I’ll just stay here in my little corner of the world enjoying my hot pink and mint green pumpkins.

 

And I’ll work on keeping warm. Or cool. Depending on what Mother Nature decides.