Summer is over - what do you think?
My favorite season, summer, is coming to a close. We’re getting a bit more rain in Beijing and the evenings are turning quite cool. It’s comfortable for now, but I hate the thought of another cold winter coming. Still, there are some good points to the fall season. I remember as a child, growing up in western New York State, all the leaves changed to different shades of red and yellow. It was almost magical to see the colors everywhere. I was reminded of this recently when I read a quote by the French writer Albert Camus who wrote: “Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower“.
Thinking back to those days, autumn seemed almost perfect! But then I found another quote, by the English writer P.D. James. She wrote: ”It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life“. Yes, when I think back the reality of my childhood, there weren’t that many truly perfect autumn days! And in my hometown, autumn can be terribly cold!
But I have spent most of the last 20 years (wow, that sounds like a lot!) in Japan and China, where fall IS the best season of the year. Here in Asia, I have not seen as many colorful leaves as back home, maybe because I’ve lived in big cities with fewer trees, but the weather is very mild. I was reminded of this by reading a quote by Samuel Butler: “Youth is like spring, an over praised season more remarkable for biting winds than genial breezes. Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits“. I’m pretty sure Butler was talking about people more than the seasons, but it applies to what I see outside everyday.
How about you? What is your favorite season? Why? Have you lived in different countries or in different climates before? What is your ideal climate? Leave a comment to join the conversation!
Nafis Said,
September 22, 2008 @ 8:13 pm
Hello,
When I was going to school, my favorite season was summer. I could do a lot of favorite things like playing musics and painting and I did not have to study for school. So, my favorite season was summer.
But now, I think every season has its own beauty. I like all of them. But I never forget springs in Vancouver, Canada. Streets were like heaven. All trees along streets had pink, white and red blossoms. They planted different kinds of colourful flowers in parks and streets. I think I saw heaven before my death.
Regards,
teacherjoe Said,
September 25, 2008 @ 3:44 pm
Hi Nafis,
How have you been? I wonder if you had the chance to see autumn in Ontario. That would be very similar to my hometown. If so, what did you think?
Nafis Said,
October 3, 2008 @ 2:51 pm
Hi Dear teacher Joe,
I think it is FANTASTIC! I only saw this secenery in art works especially in oil paintings and it seems to me like a masterpiece created by God. I had never seen these fabulous landscapes before. God has played with colors,pure red, yellow, orange and brown. The ground is covered by different colors. Finally, the composition amazed me. I did not know that autumn can be nice, but it is really nice.
If I get a chance, I might take photos and send for you. I know remembering homeland is worthwhile. Maybe you will be happy and remembering your homeland again in those pictures.
Regards,