Favorite Things, Garden, Life, Photography

Losing Summer

Writer McWriterson

Ella and I have this thing where I say to her, “you know that most of December is actually still fall, right? Winter doesn’t arrive until just before Christmas.” She always laughs at me because she knows I’m right but it sounds fake. As if I’m making it up.

My sunflowers are not sunflower-ing.

That’s how it feels this time of year. As if it’s not really summer. Like we are in an autumn waiting room. I didn’t feel this way before I had school-age children. It wasn’t until I had to follow a school schedule that I realized I was losing summer by the middle of August.

Some sunflowers are just starting to get buds.

There are still five weeks left of summer.

Others are opening up.

Despite this, we are already seeing Halloween decorations in stores. The sweaters have already been placed on the shelves. I can sense the pumpkin spice lattes creeping into Starbucks machines.

If this is something you enjoy, I can see why. I love the changing of the seasons and will gladly welcome autumn when it arrives. And I will never make anyone feel bad for enjoying their favorite season, even if it is ahead of time. 

I’m just not ready yet.

Soul garden. Mostly weeds and one dahlia.

My soul garden did not turn out as I had hoped, and I am a little sad.

Rita recently wrote about returning to her garden after being gone for the majority of the summer, and it made me cry a little. I was sad for her garden, sad for her missing home, and selfishly sad for my own garden.

There are so many things for which I am thankful. There are a lot of bad things going on in the world, but I’m not “shoudling” myself.

I can be sad that the earth is burning while also being disappointed that my garden did not turn out as I had hoped. Maybe they are linked. This summer, I didn’t see as many bees, which made me feel deeply sad. 

I’m on dahlia watch, as if I’m expecting a child.

Other than my zinnias and sunflowers, I’m not planting seeds next year. I will buy plants, but only perennials, and I want to experiment with native flowers. I’m manifesting that some of the seeds that didn’t sprout this year will grow next year.

Selfie in front of the soul “garden”

I’ll admit that I’m enjoying the fact that it’s getting darker earlier. I never imagined myself saying something like that. But I enjoy snuggling up after dinner and going to bed at a reasonable hour.

Five more weeks of summer.

73 days until we move the clocks back.

There’s a Psychological Reason Why We Love Fall So Much

When is the Midpoint of Summer?

50 thoughts on “Losing Summer”

      3. 1 cup ice cubes

        1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger vanilla flavored vodka (such as Stoli)

        1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger Irish cream liqueur (such as Bailey’s)

        1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger pumpkin flavored liqueur (such as Hiram Walker)

        1 pinch ground cinnamon

        1 pinch ground nutmeg

        Mix, shake and drain into chilled glass.

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  3. Nevermind sweaters on shelves; I’m already wearing mine! While I know we have several more weeks of summer it has felt so cool and crisp most mornings this August that it feels like fall is going to be early this year. I love fall. But I am definitely going to miss summer.

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  4. My husband reminds me often that there is a difference between meteorological seasons and calendar seasons. He’s not wrong – as our maple trees are starting to very subtly shift colors at the tippy top.

    I also get not being ready to give up summer yet. Though I am. Ours was just really hard this year and that’s okay, but I’m ready to leave it the rear view. Like you, I’ll hope the (metaphorical) seeds I planted that didn’t bloom this year, will next year.

    Hope you get to enjoy the summer days you have remaining.

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  5. I’m another one who loves Fall so much, and the reasons in the article you linked made perfect sense to me. I also love that it gets dark earlier so I can cozy in for the night. I’m sorry your Soul Garden didn’t turn out as you hoped, but your selfie pose in front of the garden is cute!

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  7. “As if it’s not really summer. Like we are in an autumn waiting room.”

    Kari, I LOVE the way you expressed that because it’s so true! And lately, we’ve been having a somewhat “autumn” feel to our weather. It’s been in the high 70s to low 80s, which feels great to me because we’ve had a very hot and humid summer. I am soooooooo looking forward to both autumn and winter. I love being cold.

    Like you, I too have already seen Halloween (and Thanksgiving) decorations in our stores. I started seeing them at the beginning of August.

    ” I can sense the pumpkin spice lattes creeping into Starbucks machines.”

    Oooooooooooooooooo yeah!!!! And soups with bread and butter. Comfort food!

    Your photographs are gorgeous! Such rich greens and bright colored flowers! To me, your garden looks as if it’s thriving.

    And speaking of bees, do you know what I haven’t seen as many over the years? Lightening Bugs. I love those cute little things!

    Me too, enjoying that it’s getting darker early. I’ve a vampire, so I love night! LOL!

    Have a fabulous rest of the summer, my friend! X

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    1. That kind of autumn weather is my favorite! I’m ready to open the windows and let in some fresh air.

      Soups with bread and butter! YES.

      You are so right about my garden. My garden IS lush and green. It is flourishing! I should accept it for what it is rather than what I thought it to be! Thank you for saying that. 😘

      I miss lightning bugs too!

      Here’s to summer, my friend!

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  9. Oh, I’m so sorry about your soul garden. How disappointing BUT you never know, those seeds might make an appearance next year. One year my friend sold purple pansies in honour of her father who died of pancreatic cancer. Pansies are, of course, annual flowers in a place like Calgary. But! Damn if those pansies didn’t self-seed and come up FOUR YEARS IN A ROW. So you just never know.
    I love summer too. I was in Superstore and went to buy some napkins, and they were all pumpkin themed. IN AUGUST! I still wanted summer-themed! There will be plenty of time for pumpkins in September and October, I think!

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  10. I am totally with NGS above…”fall is just pre-winter”. You know me, I’m a summer lover. As long as I have AC to retreat into, I’m all good. I’ll take heat and sunshine any day over winter’s cold and darkness. I’m actually already feeling myself slipping into SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) with it getting darker earlier. I hate closing the blinds earlier now. Truly bums me out.

    Funny with the zinnia seeds you gave me – the ones I threw on the ground (the 2nd go around) have popped up, but are only like 6″ tall and no flowers. In their defense (is plant defending a thing?), I probably sewed those seeds too late. But the seeds I put in a pot have two verrry tall zinnias – one red, one pink – growing. Why only two plants though from all those seeds? I’m not giving up. Next year I will try the seeds again. I’m also collecting nasturium seeds from my plants this year, to plant more nasturium flowers next year.

    I might have to celebrate this heat and it still being summer by taking myself out for ice cream tonight. 😉

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    1. Mike closed the curtains in our room due to the heat yesterday, and I was like NOOOO. Must. Have. Light.

      Plant defending is a real thing! To be honest, I believe in plants more than people. 🤣

      One of the best parts of summer is eating ice cream for dinner. Have some for me! 😘❤️

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      1. Turned out no ice cream for me yesterday after all. The day before yesterday, I had street tacos from the food truck here. They made me very sick and I ended up sick yesterday. I’ll spare you the TMI details but there my tummy looked like I was 6 months pregnant and I had a lot of pain. BUT! Today is a new day and I WILL have ice cream today! 🙂

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  11. I feel as though it was the summer that never was. First, we had chilly weather, then it was the Canadian wildfires that blocked the sun, then we had rain every freaking weekend. Multiply that with what I’m going through and it was a total loss. We used our deck ONE time (July 4th). Thank God we did our vacations in May/June before my mom fell or those would have been out the window.

    Yes, I’m bitter. I love summer and I’m mad it seems over already. I’m now hoping for some Fall festivities, but we shall see. Also, I’m disappointed about your soul garden because it was such a fabulous idea!!! Boooooooooooo!

    P.S. We have four hydrangea bushes and not a single bloom! WTH?

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    1. Feel those emotions, friend. I think it is more difficult because of where we live. We only get a few months of really nice weather and then pfffft.

      I’ve heard so many people say that they didn’t get any blooms on perennials that normally do, so I’m wondering if it’s because the Midwest had a drought spring?

      I’m sending you a big hug, and I hope you can feel it. I wish we lived closer so we could get some tea or coffee and have a blog and bitch session. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?

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  12. I’m so sorry your soul garden didn’t work out as planned this year. But, I think there is hope for next year. I’ve never grown anything from seed, but it seems reasonable to me that if the seeds are perennials they should come back next year healthier, stronger and ready to flower.

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  13. Fall runs through most of December. I never see it that way. Or think of it that way.
    I’m ready for fall because that means Winter will not be far behind and that is our favorite time way down here. If we lived way UP there, we’d be loving Summer too.

    Sorry your garden didn’t pan out as you’d hoped Gardening is a trial-and-error, live-and-learn kind of scenario.

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    1. It’s blazing hot here—100 degrees and humid. I can’t see anything out of my steamy windows. I have a lot of admiration for you down there. It’s no wonder that you’re ready for winter.

      I’m not a big fan of gardening, just the end result. 🤣

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  14. I love summer – but I love it more when I have pool access and I’ve started babysitting for the school year and the pool hours are dwindling because the lifeguards are back in school. The one positive of the pool closing and fall approaching – I have more time at home, by force – thank you, reduced pool hours, and therefore I’m getting the out of control bits organized.

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  15. Normally I enjoy every season for what it is and am in no rush for time to march forward, but these past two days have been an exception. BRING ON FALL!

    Already it’s dark out when I head out on my morning walks. Gotta admit, I like that.

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  16. I’m feeling rather wistful about this summer that has been overly hot. Technically it doesn’t end until Sept 23 [I think] but it seems like it’s over already. Of course I suppose I should lean into the idea that it can be summer as long as I say it is. Not quite ready for fall, not quite sure I’m finished with summer.

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  17. I love the idea of “autumn waiting room.” It is feeling that way for sure. I love both fall and winter, so I’m okay with it, but I do feel for the many people who mourn the loss of summer at this time of year. May the next five weeks bring warmth and sun!

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  18. I’m going to think of your soul garden as “in progress.” This was a learning year. Things just take time (at least, they do for me!). I’ve been gradually switching to drought-resistant perennials, except for my kitchen window box and some porch planters. Because we were gone this summer, everything got less water than I would likely provide, and I’m happy to say that most things survived! I’m going to keep on this path with the yard.

    I think the rest of our lives is going to be all about adapting and embracing both/and. I am both distraught about what’s happening (to our country and the planet) and I take great joy in my home and garden. Maybe I take greater joy there because so much of the world beyond it is cause for distress. I dunno. I’m glad I have you to share all the jumble with and to help me figure out how to keep on keeping on.

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    1. I like that! “In progress.” This is the second time in two days that I’ve heard the phrase “drought-resistant.” I want to do more research on that.

      I was just thinking this when I wrote “drought-resistant” before reading what you wrote in your second paragraph. I consider myself extremely fortunate that we do not face the environmental challenges that I see taking place all over the world. When I see my green soul garden, I am grateful to have green. I am grateful for weeds, grass, and slow-blooming flowers. I’m also grateful for this forum to discuss this with you and others. It makes our apocalyptic world a little less terrifying.

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