It has begun...

Well, it looks like that time of year is creeping up on us already - leaf peeping season!

Due to the unseasonably cold temperatures here in Massachusetts, a few trees here and there have already begun changing color. I first noticed this almost two weeks ago!

We have had quite a few nights in the low 50?F range, and even some in the high 40?F (!!!), so it looks like it MAY be an early show this year.

I'll keep you posted!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Colors already changing?

Well, take some of our local heat -- 114 degrees here today.. . Expecting a balmy 125 degrees in Death Valley tomorrow.

Mark

[Quebec Gen]

Hey Timbo,
Don't worry you're not hallucinating, it's the same thing here in Quebec, we already have grown apples, even though the apple season is usually starting at mid-September... I don't think we had more than 5-6 days of heat since June, it's ridiculous. I bet we'll soon begin to get maple syrup in the middle of January (hey why not after all?).

Seasons are playing tricks on us this year, I'm so glad I did my Southwest roadtrip this year, at least I enjoyed a few more days of sun and had the opportunity to swim in warm water. We can't even rely on the Weather Channel they're all mixed up : they say it'll be sunny and it's pouring rain, they say it'll be hot and humid and we're freezing to death! Does anybody have a cheap piece of land for sell in AZ or NM, someone pleeeaaaase??:-))

Gen:o)

[Ken Clevenger]

what I wouldn't give to have an air conditioning bill under $400! We don't get the miracle of seasons here in houston. 40 degrees is blizzard conditions here! But I suppose it wouldn't be all that great to be bundled up in august.

I think I will look into a time share program with some sun starved yankees...anyone want to see the glorious flatlands of houston, texas? Houston...we put the "H" in "Holy Hell! It's Humid!"

[Quebec Gen]

Ok then:-) give me your home in TX and take mine:o)), here winter, (and I mean REAL winter with blizzards, snowstorms that struck so hard you can't even get out of home, car won't start anyway, snowfalls of 1 meter +, shovelling, cool winds and temperatures of minus 40 degrees Celsius), here winter lasts 8 months, from the end of October through the beginning of May... And it is ALWAYS humid here, our heating bills during these months are outrageously expensive, plus, we have to plug the A/C sometimes during summer time because it can get even more humid when it's kind of hot outside.

Don't forget we also have to adjust our clothing according to these temperature, wearing a coat that makes me look like a marshmallow woman or Mr Muffler (and freeze to death and catch a cold every now and then anyway) almost all year long is far from what I'd call paradise!:-)

Usually strangers like snow because they're not stuck with it all year long, so it's kind of fun to come here as a tourist and ski and take some sleigh rides, and skate but once they live here, they find it much more difficult. I know some people here who like winter though, but they're usually of the sporty kind (skiers, ice skaters, ice fishers (yuck!:-)). For my part, I am much more a summer kind of person : swimming, walking outside without freezing to death, jogging at sunset, hiking, rollerblading, doing pic nics, reading outside and I like the heat.:o))) Frankly, even if it's beautiful out here, if I didn't have anyone, I'd fly away in no time, even though you're more likely to have tornadoes and other stuff like that in your area. There are more chances you get struck by winter than by a tornado, right?!:o)

Have a great day and...enjoy the heat while I'm freezing!:o)
Gen

[Mark Sedenquist]

Ken,

I have heard that this year seemed to be especially hot and humid.

I like that phrase -- I have thought it myself a time or two!

Mark

[girl scout over 40]

On my daily bike ride I've seen 3 trees so far turning one a beautiful bright red ARRGHHHHHH. I'm in south central Wisconsin and we haven't had one 90 degree day. The thought of winter setting in so early has me having nightmares. Where are the dog days of summer? not here.

[Robert Schaller]

Well, here in AZ, 1/2 block east of Hell, the trees are turning all right. It's not orange, it's not red, it's not yellow... Wait! It's BROWN! I guess it's a different kind of season here (HOT and DRY) -- in the southern parts of the state, we go directly from summer to... PERFECT. That's October to April in my opinion. But cacti have no leaves so we don't get much color.

In the higher parts of the state, they do get some autumn colors, especially along the creeks and in the high country where the aspens are (about 8500 feet or so). But that won't happen for at least two months yet and maybe not at all -- I am wondering what the effects of a 9 year drought will be on fall colors! Bob

This weekend we took a trek to Kenneth Dubuque Memorial Forest in Hawley, MA for some hiking (along a stream most of the way, awesome after the heavy rains Saturday!). Along the way we noticed quite a trees aflame with orange color, mostly along MA 116 in Conway. Travelling North along MA 8A (which seems to be a favorite of motorcyclists) after our hike, I noticed some of the trees on the mountains have gone from that dark green of Summer to that lighter greenish-yellow of change.

MA 2 didn't show much change yet, nor did MA 122 or MA 32.

It was 50 degrees F this morning...brrr!

[Mark Sedenquist]

Timbo,

Ten days have passed, more or less, since your last post. Any chance for indian summer this year?

mark