Waiting for winter

Since moving to Bloomington-Normal last year, I've had more reasons to anticipate the chill of winter. Winters here aren't that bad, at least compared to Minnesota, in terms of intensity and duration. I still don't like it when it gets very cold, which does happen occasionally, but overall I don't dread winter here like I did in Minnesota. My anticipation, though, has to do more with my allergies. Because fall is so long here, warmer, my allergies are much worse until the temp consistently dives below freezing in December. So I'm literally waiting for the chill. Plus, now that we have a house that requires yardwork, I'm anxiously waiting for when I won't have to mow the lawn. (I actually enjoy mowing with my motorless push mower, but not when the ground is saturated with water and parts of it are turning to mud!)

Fall is in the air

Beginning Saturday afternoon, with the onslaught of the current chilly weather, fall has definitely been in the air. Temperatures are in the 60s, for the daily high, and the leaves are just starting to change color. I've always loved the fall - the cool chilly breezes, the early darknesss of late afternoon, the scent of fireplace smoke in the crisp air. But ever since I've moved to Illinois, the beginning of fall has become bittersweet. Fall, for me in central IL, is synomous with major allergies, and just like last year, my allergies became severe as soon as the fall weather ushered in. I'm guessing that the allergy problem has everything to do with the fall corn harvest. Now, as last Fall, I can't tell if I have severe allergies, a minor cold, or some combination of both.