Fall

There is just something to be said about Fall - that nip in the air. The hint of cool while summer's warmth still lingers. Time to clear away the tomato patch and clean up the yard where empty spaces appear and you begin to plan for spring's abundance. We are not in New England, I grant you that but even in the bay area, I see the subtle changes in the leaves - there are a lot of Gingko Biloba in my neck of the woods, planted by the city on the streets, and I love to see the leaves slowly turn yellow only to become bald by December.

In 2003, I had the good fortune to be in Vermont during all the seasons as my husband was contracting with IBM for the year. My first visit to Burlington was in May and I was immediately taken with the crisp clean air, the green look everywhere and visions of lilac in almost every yard. Most were lilac in color but a few were white - abundant blooms and huge to boot. Not like my pitiful ones in San Jose which bloom in early April and is quite literally the pride of my Cul-de-sac. I am the only one who has a lilac bush and my neighbors come over to visit and invariably end up taking a few cuttings and gush as they breathe in that wonderful fragrance. Perhaps because of the heat, it blooms for a mere three weeks before it dies away. Obviously, Lilacs must be native to New England and there abouts as they reign supreme - so glorious. I also saw a lot of Hostas in the yards there and peonies too. Nice.

Summer was nice too - more like Spring in the Bay area but my husband said I missed the hot humid and muggy days. I was ready to move to Vermont - thought it was so pretty and green with a pristine feel. And not at all crowded like home. The only crowded place was downtown Burlington - everybody seem to come out to dine and walk around on weekends. College students, couples of all ages and families. All the restaurants were full and the outside seatings fully occupied - taking advantage of the nice weather. Downtown was awful crowded for a place that was not really heavily populated. Downtown San Jose seem deserted compared to Burlington's. There is a reason for it - apparently good sunny days are hard to come by so people take full advantage of the good days. I would understand this better later after getting a small taste of winter in Vermont.

Vermont is famous for its Fall color and I saw why. After living in the Bay area, seeing the colors ranging anywhere from fiery reds to burnt brown and the colors in between was spectacular. Vibrant burning hills confront your eyes while the clean cool air caresses your face and you know you are in fall heaven. Fall is nature's finest pelleates( sp? on display and the season to taste the sweetest apples. Vermont is truly beautiful - truly the land of green mountains, maples for the colors and syrup and abundant apples. By Autumn, I was in love.

In november, the weather turned and became cold. I only heard about if from my husband and he told me that it was a different kind of cold - so damn cold that it hurts. It apparently got colder and he said there was no way we could live there. I was there by December to help him move and was shocked to see snow banked high on either sides of the road. We drove to his apartment in eerie silence - with me eyeing the snow wearily and feeling the cold hit me when we walked to the apartment. I began to see what he was talking about this cold being a different kind of beast altogether. It was hard on me - for I am that person who finds winter in the Bay Area cold. I am that person who is wrapped in a sweater by halloween. And being in Vermont in december was not my cup of tea - everything looked different - all the roofs were heavily loaded with snow and the grounds were white and once where there were fiery red leaves were patches of white and bark - still a picture perfect sight like a postcard but oh the cold - stinging every exposed flesh like some alien bees.

I forgot all about the other wonderful seasons. I was told that it remained cold till April and that wonderful lake Champlain would be frozen for over 40 feet or something for a few months. Very diiferent from California - where we take blue skies and 80 degrees days for granted. I would not move to Vermont but I would certaily visit - when it comes down to the basics - I prefer heat and warmth to the cold sting of winter.