Tuesday, July 22, 2008

It is too late to vote

...but Ben wanted me to register his vote for winter as his favorite season. You can, he points out, have snowball fights during the winter, and who doesn't love pelting and being pelted with snowballs?

I was surprised that the 100% statistically valid poll results indicated that fall is a landslide winner (57%) in the race for favorite season. Who are you people who like fall the best? When all the green signs of natural life turn crunchy brown and disintegrate? When the days grow shorter and darker? When kids have homework again? Granted, it is delightful to get past hot, muggy summer doldrums, and Polartec fleece and cashmere have their appeal.

Thirty-five percent of you (...or of the teeny number who clicked on the poll) voted for summer. That's fine. Summer break, the beach, banishment of seasonal affective disorder, sandals—summer has its advantages.

But spring! Spring is lovely! Warmth, sun, and life return. Trees leaf out and the grass comes back to life after winter's brown dormancy. Crabapple trees (every time, I type that as "crapapple" on the first attempt) and lilac bushes blossom. (Apple blossoms are my #1 favorite scent.) Tulips, daffodils, violets, and crocuses all bloom. Who are all you haters who didn't choose spring as your favorite season? What have you got to say for yourselves, hmm?

6 comments:

Mo said...

I love spring and would have chosen it were it not for the fact that I am dead tired and plagued by allergies. I think for a teacher, summer is a no-brainer, but fall is pretty nice too...

Anonymous said...

I like fall and winter the best, because I hate being hot. Also, fall was when school started, and I loved that. I am also allergic to pretty much everything, so am miserable during the spring/summer with allergies. Fall for me is like a new beginning, like New Year's Day, when I make new resolutions. Besides in NC, spring begins in March, and it's already hot by April. We just skip the spring temps and head right into summer.

Klynn said...

Can't remember if I voted in the poll or not. But my two favorite seasons are Spring and Fall. I'd have to say Fall wins out, though. Spring, while beautiful, also brings tons of pollen and allergies and the promise of heat and humidity to come.

Fall, though, is when the balmy days of summer are past. The air starts to turn cooler and you can go outside in shirtsleeves and *breathe*. As a little girl, I'd always run around out in the yard and twirl and dance and catch the falling leaves.

It may have something to do with geography, too, though. Here in the deep south, the summer heat and humidity are killers and winter is relatively short. Maybe Fall (here) is not so much about the impending (sure-to-be-mild) winter, but more about a celebration that the misery of the summer heat and humitidy is over for another year.

Narya said...

Because spring in this Fair City lasts about 15 minutes. We go straight from winter to summer, and I love the freedom of not needing a coat, of knowing that even if I get caught in the raiin I won't freeze my ass off (thought that WOULD solve the ass-reduction problem . . . hmmm . . .). I love the long days and open windows and walking around barely dressed without freezing. And I actually enjoy heat. Go figure.

E. said...

Man, I love Spring, definitely. And Summer has an obvious allure (along with several annoyances). But I voted for Fall. The colors, for one thing. I love the colors of changing trees. I also love the crisp feel of perfect fall days - no humidity, and a temp somewhere between 60 and 70 degrees. Lovely. Plus, for me Fall means a certain kind of renewal. A geek, I really love school deep down, and even though I'm always dying for it to end by about February (from 4th grade to my present life as a school teacher), the start of school is exciting and full of possibility. Plus I like the fall wardrobe best. Jeans, light cardigans, cords but only if you feel like it. You're not sweaty, but you're not freezing either.

Plus, Fall is also called "Autumn," a lovely word. One of my favorites.

DoctorMama said...

It depends where I'm living. I don't like half-assed seasons. Spring is my favorite in a cold climate (e.g. Chicago), but when I'm living farther south, spring is often just a sudden heat wave and boom! There's summer. Farther south, I prefer summer, because summer should be HOT, and in colder places it's often chilly.