After a stretch of oppressively humid 70-80*F days, I went outside one morning and was stunned it was cold enough to require a jacket. My heart sank, just a little bit, because it dawned on me summer was ending. In Southern California, there’s a high probability you’ll be able to enjoy a warm sunny day in December. But I don’t live in So Cal anymore. Seasons are a real thing here in Wisconsin. Having moved to Wisconsin last September, this one day of “Jacket Weather” reminded me of what comes next: unbelievably colorful leaves and unbelievably cold days.

This realization that summer was ending gave me mixed emotions – I can’t say I was sad, per se, because “sad” is too strong a word. It was more like that feeling you get when your favorite song/book/movie reaches the climax then transitions to the denouement. Or when you realize you have only one bite left of your favorite dessert.

Growing up in So Cal, I never really had to worry about the changing seasons or bad weather. As an adult, the most obvious sign of the changing seasons was the traffic patterns of the 405. Good LORD traffic gets unbearable in September when little kids and college kids go back to school.

Big Cedar Lake

I’m not entirely ready to say “goodbye” to summer, but two facts make this goodbye easier. First of all, I can say with confidence I made the most of my first summer in Wisconsin. I swam in over 5 different lakes, visited over 10 different parks, and obtained easily over 70 bug bites total. Oh yeah, and there’s also that one time I got swimmer’s itch – now that’s a fun story.

Related Reading: See blog posts tagged “Exploring”

Secondly, Gjalla loved the snow last year! Since bulldogs overheat so easily, I had a hunch she’d enjoy Wisconsin’s cooler weather. But I could have never predicted she’d be so ecstatic frolicking in the snow. Now that she has a little brother to play with, I can only imagine the fun we’ll all have this winter.

The very next week after this “Winter is Coming – Get a Jacket” day, the weather went back to being 70-80*F. So nice of Wisconsin to give me a reminder of what’s to come, then go back to summer weather so I can cram in a few more outdoor field trips. I have no idea what is normal for Wisconsin weather, or whether this winter will be as pleasant as the last. Regardless, I’m looking forward to the adventure.