“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it,” wrote English novelist and poet George Eliot. The English word “autumn” derives from the Old French word “autompne,” but the root is Latin (“autumnus”). Here in America we simply call it fall, as in “all the leaves fall down.” Leaf me alone, Paul.
October is a time of long shadows, frosty mornings and increasing weather paranoia. “When will the first big snowstorm hit, Paul?” Flurries by Halloween, probably the first few inches conveniently timed around Thanksgiving, if previous autumns are any guide.
A few showers sprout by the dinner hour tomorrow, but sunshine rules our sky Friday and most of Saturday, the nicer day of the weekend to rake leaves. Or catch up on napping.
More significant swarms of showers and thunderstorms slosh across Minnesota on Sunday, again Tuesday night and Wednesday of next week. A few days near 70 degrees next week, but I see 40s for highs within two weeks.
Fall is sublime and a vague warning. In a few short months we’ll all worry about falling.
