Seasons

Kathy's continuing (not "continual", just to be clear) talk of the Tour of Michigan got me thinking: When would be the best time to go? While it would be nice to have a White Christmas (without all the major troubles we have here on the rare occasions when it snows), that's just the wrong time.

April? For all I remember April fondly (snow melting, the smell of freshly-exposed ground, kite-flying weather), I think it needs February to set the stage.

May or early June? Mosquitoes. Though after 42 years I have forgotten just when mosquito season begins. Where my house is situated we do not have a mosquito problem -- if I see a dozen anywhere other than the lower woods it's a bad year.

July and August? Too likely to be muggy.

Which sort of takes us to early autumn, late September or early October. Fall colors. Rain but hey, we know about all about rain in the Seattle area -- though I have yet to compile the definitive list of our words for precipitation ("rain" is the point where locals start walking briskly between their cars and buildings). Apples (Washington apples are a bit mealy, IMHO) and apple cider. I forget where we used to go every fall to get fresh cider, watch the cider press, hayrides?

It's kind of interesting to contrast the change of seasons in Midland with Redmond. To me, anyway, so it's here for you to read. I could include California in this, but to be frank I don't really much remember what passed for seasons in California. (Apologies to Midlanders living there now and hopefully liking it.)

Here, starting in Midsommar (ya sure ve haff us many Skandihoovians, ya betcha), Midland varies from pleasant to hot & humid. Redmond is entering the dry season but we think it rather hot when it gets to the 80s. (Only 5 to 10% of the houses here have A/C.)

August into September I don't remember much from Midland, other than it starts cooling. In Redmond we get: early morning fogs (oddly absent this year), spiders and their webs start appearing everywhere outside (the spiders will grow quite large into October), and trees start dropping their leaves. Usually the last is caused by drought and heat, but it's late this year -- only the vine maples are dropping now.

October into November: I only remember chill, fog, rain and a brief bout of bright fall colors. Rain here too, but the colors are usually quite muted.

November into December: the grey time; colder, maybe some snow, overcast. Not too different here except it's a little warmer -- but this is the windy season and we get some frightful windstorms. In 2006 a windstorm blew through and cut power all over the region. We were lucky -- only 8 days without power. At least we have woodstoves upstairs and down. This photo was taken only a hundred or two meters down the road the morning after. A mile of this to reach the main road.

Late December through February: snow, more snow, winter sports, and Why Won't This White Stuff Just Go Away^[TM]? Redmond: dark, dark, dark and gloom (overcast skies and under big trees nighttime is black, plus we might not see the sun for months). People often move away from Seattle because they cannot face another grim winter here; outdoor "Christmas" lights often remain on well after Epiphany.

March and April: winter ends, spring begins. Redmond: same -- we might get a dusting of snow but the days are growing much longer. And the rain is not quite as cold.

May and June: spring into summer; I have already mentioned mosquitoes. Redmond: the rain slacks off and our glorious summer begins.