The Similkameen News Leader
Editorial
September 09, 2008
SUMMER IS OVER
I'm always looking ahead in this business.
For example, I'm thinking there's about 15 more issues of the News Leader to go in 2008.
It also means in the next few weeks I'll be looking at pulling out all the winter clothes and stashing the summer clothes. I'll be cleaning up the yard, putting away the lawn mower for the year, putting snow shovels on the deck for easy access, thinking about winter tires, icy roads and higher energy bills.
I know it's coming and it happens every year about this time, but I am one of those who really does not like to see summer end. For me, the official end of summer is not when school starts, but Fall Fair weekend.
I think maybe it's because for many years the last major event of the year has been Fall Fair.
I often think back to summertime growing up in Kelowna and how harsh winter would be. I remember walking on a very frozen Okanagan Lake in the early 1970's and watching barges slice through the ice as they headed south to Penticton.
I remember working in Penticton in the early 1980's and the annual tradition of the Polar Bear Dip - jumping into Okanagan Lake during Mid-Winter Break Out in February. There were years there when we had to wait for someone to chainsaw a hole in the ice near the S. S. Sicamous before we could jump in.
Winter for me has always been filled with very cold memories. I don't like the cold. I don't think I ever have and as a result I think that is why I have always picked summer as my favourite time of year.
My wife, Brenda, on the other hand, is a huge fan of fall - or autumn. There's no doubt in my mind she'll be enjoying every minute of the season prior to snowfall.
She did show me a part of fall I have to admit I like. The vibrant colours that are produced as plant life slowly shifts down to sleep through the winter.
We have also found a couple of places we like to go in fall to take photos of the trees and the wonderfully bright splashes of seasonal colours.
I'm actually looking forward to our annual couple of trips out with our cameras, sub sandwiches and cold drinks as we drive aimlessly looking for the right shade of yellow, orange and purple.
There's no doubt we won't be doing that for a few weeks, but as I stated before - I'm always looking ahead.
So for now, I'll enjoy my memories of Fall Fair 2008 and accept the fact that although we may still get some nice sunny days in the next few weeks, for all intents and purposes, summer is over.
I miss it already.
