Sigh. Summer has officially slipped away. Just last week, my zinnias still looked great, and the temps were in the mid-90s. This week, what a drastic difference—the zinnias look tired, and the temps are in the mid-70s! It always happens too fast for me.

I’m a summer girl. I go kicking and screaming into fall (but mostly winter). I want to hang onto the longer days, my flip-flops and easy summer wardrobe. No hats, scarves, or gloves to keep track of. No cumbersome boots or coats. No snow shoveling or ice scrapers to deal with!

I had a short but great summer! Three visits with our sweet granddaughter (my first trip to the Jersey Shore), a couple of trips to Colorado, the completion of our kitchen remodel, and a fabulous trip to Santorini! I also finished a book I’ve been working on for a while.

Hard Lemonade is set to release Oct. 1! That will probably be the highlight of my fall as I start yard cleanup and switch out my closets. I would also enjoy fall more if I didn’t have squirrels at my house. I’ve tried year after year to decorate. I buy mums and pumpkins, pick up hedge apples and create arrangements only to have everything eaten and destroyed by the little varmints. It’s soooo annoying!

I’ll still probably buy a couple of pumpkins because I like to harvest and roast the seeds. Oh, and I like a variety of apple that I can only find in the fall—SweeTango from upstate New York.

For those of you who love the pumpkin spice and cooler temps…enjoy the season!

Darlene