Ready to say an official goodbye to summer? Me, too. This year, the fall equinox takes place on Tuesday, September 22, and I for one cannot wait for a new season to arrive. Sure, summer had its pleasant moments, but let's face it, thanks to COVID-19, things just felt "off". Personally, many of the family activities we look forward to every year were cancelled, and while we did get away for a brief vacation, we still took an abundance of precaution to make that getaway happen. Right now, every day that passes means a day closer to a brighter future with no virus to speak of, so that's where my head is at these days. Bring it on, autumn.
There are other positives to fall, of course. I've got cozy sweaters sitting patiently in drawers, begging to be worn again. I look forward to browsing the aisles at Trader Joe's, where every product has suddenly become flavored with pumpkin spice. I can't wait to go apple and pumpkin-picking (socially distanced, of course) with my kids, pointing out pretty orange and yellow leaves along the way. While I don't like the fact that it will start getting darker outside earlier, that seems like a small price to pay for my weekly latte treat at Starbucks.
In between complaining about the virus and waxing nostalgic about fall, perhaps we should learn something, too? I checked out The Farmer's Almanac for more information (everyone I knew growing up looked at The Farmer's Almanac for all weather-related questions, so this seems like a natural fit).
Did you know that the fall equinox begins precisely when the Sun’s center crosses through the earth's equator line from north to south? As mentioned above, after this occurs, the Sun begins to rise later and nightfall comes sooner. This lasts until the December (or winter) solstice, when our days start to grow longer and nights shorter. As we check off the "new season" box on a year no one could have expected, here's to ticking the boxes on all those favorite fall activities, and looking forward to brighter days ahead.
