Loose Ends: Let the complaints begin

Fall is officially here, so let the grousing begin. All of the complaints about the cold season to come seem to prepare everyone for winter weather. Winter seems to be the only season that escapes the brevity complaints, as the other three always are way too short. Even the lovers of low temperatures and piles of snow are heard to complain about winter’s length by March each year.
Quite a few complaints were registered this year about the absence of spring, along with the shortness of summer. Summer seemed only to just have arrived, so by the end of August, the perennial weather watchers in the White River Valley began to note the hummingbirds early descent from the high country, as well as the cool nights.
Prognosticators all over the White River Valley are speculating about winter’s early arrival. The dire predictions about the length of the winter fall along with the leaves. Traditionally it snows by the end of October, just in time for Halloween, so if this year is going to be branded by the wild weather accusation of winter will arrive early, the white stuff needs to come down soon.
These past few weeks have been warm, so it is surprising that so many of us are already fretting about the approach of the coming season. Summer always goes too fast, but fall barely arrives before it disappears. Most of us like our weather to be predictable and feel we have the right to require our weather to stay within its seasonal boundaries.
The general consensus about weather is funny. Everyone has an opinion about it and includes copious comments in casual conversation. Sunny days here seem to outnumber the overcast ones, so no matter what time of year, blue sky does keep most of us from being affected by that disorder caused by the loss of light due to season. One is never asked in the middle of the spring, summer, or fall, how things are going weather-wise. Some years the other three seasons don’t get appreciated for what they have to offer while they are here.
“So, how are you wintering?” is the only question that implies trouble dealing with the malaise of of a lengthy season.
“Oh, we pert near didn’t make it.”
“It’s been a bad one, can’t wait for spring to get here.”
I keep waiting for someone to ask me how I summered, but don’t expect that to happen anytime soon. I would love to be able to say, “It was terrible, you know. That summer sun just burned me to a crisp, I couldn’t wait for cold weather.”
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