One week of fall has all ready passed us by. It felt short, but then again, it always does. Fall has always been my favorite season, whether it is the mild weather, the slight chill of a breeze or perhaps the occasional crunch of a fallen leaf as I walk. That crisp crackle never ceases to satisfy me, even if I’m on my way to a particularly difficult class. I guess it’s a brief moment of meditation.

Officially, last Friday was the first day of fall, but it didn’t feel like it. The high temperature was in the 70s; too hot for fall if you ask me. Only a handful of trees have begun to change to the beautiful fall hues of red, yellow and orange that we all associate with the season. No, the trees were still summer green, the weather too warm and no nip in the air, biting me on the nose, reminding me that it is indeed fall.

However, it finally seems that summer is over. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy summer as much as anyone, but fall is something special. According to the local forecast, the highs for this weekend will only be in the 50s, which in my book, signals the start of fall. Some people will complain that it is too cold, and that is perfectly fine. Being outside with only shorts and a T-shirt has its appeal. But the apples are coming in now and when you drive by Dunkin’ Donuts, the pumpkin flavored latte, muffin or whatever menu item they think of next, has made its re-appearance. Even pumpkin spice-flavored beer can now be found on the supermarket shelves.

But for me, my love of fall isn’t the apples, cider or even the pumpkin flavored beer, though they all certainly help. For me, it’s the temporality of the season. Here in upstate New York, there is a fine line between summer and winter. Air conditioning one day, heat the other. It’s the way of life here. Unexpected, but at the same time, entirely expected.

So while for most of the year the temperatures hit one extreme or another, there is always a time where it seems to level out, if even just for a moment. There are four major seasons and 12 months in a year, so in an ideal world, each season would last for three months. However, here in Oswego, we all know better. Winter takes up roughly six of those months and the other three seasons have to duke it out for the remaining six months. And for some reason or another, fall always seems to get the short end of the stick.

But because it is only here for a short time, I appreciate fall the most. Though the trees are green now, they will quickly change color and in the blink of an eye, drop all their leaves. The mild breeze will turn into a foot of snow and even those Canadian geese that always seem to leave their presence on every walk path will soon migrate south for the winter. So break out that sweatshirt, eat that pumpkin muffin and pour yourself an extra glass of cider. It will be gone before we even know it.