The calendar says that we’re still 19 days away from the astronomical start of fall yet my senses say to go with those who specialize in the weather when it comes to marking the start of autumn.
Sept. 1 marked the beginning of meteorological fall, and three of my senses this past Labor Day weekend certainly made me feel as if we were fully into a new season because of what I saw, what I tasted, and what I smelled.
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I have always been a morning person, and our two dogs are as well. Our golden retriever Santiago and our Bernese mountain dog Alicia rarely sleep past 5 a.m.; most mornings, they’re ready to start the day closer to 4:30 a.m.
I’m not sure why I even set an alarm any more, as they use their noses to nudge my arm every morning when they’re ready to be petted — and fed.
We’re normally out on our 1-mile morning walks by 5 a.m. each day — the pups clad in their bright and flashing LED collars as I carry in one pocket their leashes along with some treats and plastic bags for when they do their business and my iPhone streaming a podcast in the other pocket.
The cool, crisp air this past weekend was a gift after so many muggy mornings the previous week and most of the summer. The smell of the fresh and cool air made it feel like fall was here.
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In addition to our 5 a.m. walks, we also follow the same 1-mile path in the evenings so that Santiago and Alicia get in some more exercise after sleeping most of the day.
As we walked about the neighborhood on Sunday evening, we saw that several leaves had started to fall from one of the trees a couple of streets behind where we live. It was so noticeable because it’s the only tree in the person’s front yard. The leaves on the tree in our front yard still seem very much intact for now.
Speaking of tact — or perhaps a lack of — it was back on July 24 when my wife and I were shopping in a big retail store when we saw that Halloween decorations were already out on display, including an eerie howling werewolf with glowing eyes that was taller than me and on sale for your front yard.
Call me crazy, but July seems a bit early to put out the Halloween decorations. I think we’ll leave our spooky life-size LED ghost golden retriever decoration that I bought at Home Depot last year in the basement until Oct. 1.
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By now, I’m guessing you can tell I’m a person who follows a routine most every day.
Each Friday before I head to school for the day, I splurge a bit on a warm chai from a coffee shop that is only a couple of miles from our house.
Santiago and Alicia are big fans of whipped cream and tag along each Friday at 6 a.m. for their weekly pup cups.
“Do you want pumpkin spice added to your chai,” my wife asked last week as she placed our order. Those two words — pumpkin spice — have become synonyms of autumn for me, as that add-on is only available in the fall.
The first sip of a hot chai with pumpkin spice each year is a taste that I’ll always associate with fall.
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My senses of taste, smell and sight tell me fall has arrived already.
Two weeks from today, however, every sense will be in overdrive, as Sept. 17 is the opening night of Bluffton’s best five-day fall celebration: Street Fair 2024. Those of us born and bred in Bluffton — with the exception of a handful of Parlor City residents — love the Street Fair as much as we look forward to the holidays.
This year’s fair is titled “Passport to Fun” and will be the 113th to take place in Bluffton.
My senses are ready for this fall’s Street Fair — especially my sense of taste.
jdpeeper2@hotmail.com
