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By JAY HORNING
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 25, 2001
So fall has arrived, or as one of our British friends would have it, autumn. During a conversation with her a couple of years ago, my wife or I used the term "fall," and we stood corrected.
"It's autumn," our friend insisted, and it was clear that there was no way she could be persuaded that fall was a proper alternative. We didn't press the point. After all, she is from England, and I guess that is where they speak the language properly.
I believe it was Henry Higgins who, referring to the English language in My Fair Lady, remarked: "In America, they haven't spoken it for years." Whatever we call it, the last full season of the calendar year arrived on Saturday last (as our English friend might say), although if weather patterns follow their normal course, we will hardly notice its presence in Florida, at least not immediately.
No turning leaves, and no burning ones, either, unless it's accidental. No chill in the morning air. And probably no smoke rising from fireplace chimneys, unless some ardent suitor chooses to set the A/C on low and build a fire to create a romantic atmosphere.
We'll have to wait at least another month for evidence of this new season. Sometimes it seems it doesn't arrive until Thanksgiving. When that happens, we have something to be thankful for.
But our payoff is coming. Those nice, crisp days that many of our northern friends and relatives are enjoying soon will give way to cold winds that will only grow colder, followed by the snow, sleet and ice that so many of us fled long ago.
Meanwhile, the situation gets increasingly better for us in Florida. We soon will notice a change in the atmosphere, with cooler air enveloping us, air that will feel drier and fresher.
That will stimulate us to emerge from our air-conditioned shells and pursue activities that have been set aside during the long, hot summer. At least, that's the way it happens at our house.
We have a list. We always have lists, not just for groceries, but for things we want to do and places we want to go when the opportunity presents itself. This seasonal change means we can activate that list.
We will be going to Busch Gardens, definitely on those weekends in November when the Big Band concerts are scheduled; and again for the same thing in February. We'll be going to Sea World to visit Shamu, the manatees, the otters, the dolphins, the penguins, and yes, even the sharks. Sharks have never attacked anyone at Sea World, at least not that I know about.
In St. Petersburg, there's Sawgrass Lake Park, which we enjoyed so much last spring. And walks on the beach, with those cool breezes coming off the gulf. We'll probably even walk the waterfront and downtown St. Petersburg streets where so many changes have occurred that we read about during the hot days of summer.
Farther afield, we'll consider revisiting St. Augustine and Key West, which we enjoy this time of year. Some tantalizing Elderhostels beckon, if we can schedule them when it is neither too hot nor too cold for our comfort range.
The opportunities are endless, and with this new season, they often turn into temptations, temptations to which we likely will yield.
Welcome back, fall (or autumn, if you want to be scrupulous about it). We're glad you're here.
- You can write to Jay Horning c/o Seniority, St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Or send e-mail to jayhorning@aol.com.