Winter Is Coming!

 

Today was the day. Every day in August I look out to the Courthouse lawn to see if any of the large leafy deciduous trees have any yellow leaves. When I see my first yellow leaves, I call out to my assistant, “Natalie, come here!” and I point out the very first yellow leaves of the season. She shakes her head at my excitement every year. Today was that day. A small cluster of yellow-green leaves has appeared in about 1 percent of one of those three huge trees. It is the start of something exciting. We are a bit late this year; usually, the first yellow leaf appears around the Ides of August.

The high today in Flagstaff, AZ, was 84 degrees with a low of 52 degrees. But winter is coming! (People in Arizona look forward to winter like folks in Minnesota look forward to summer.) I am positively giddy when we get snow and post happy pictures on Facebook and text pictures of snowflakes to my friends.

The football training camps are in full swing, and football starts the Thursday after Labor Day. Color week in Southwest Colorado is the last week of September. Color week in Flagstaff, at 7,000 feet, is the first two weeks of October. Color week in Tucson is early December, and in Phoenix is in late December. Soon we will have the blur of holidays from October through Presidents Day. (No emergency court hearings can be scheduled during legal holidays, so I am out of here!)

Winter is coming! And all is well with the world.

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  1. Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw Member
    Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw
    @MattBalzer

    Gary Robbins: like folks in Minnesota look forward to summer.

    When it only lasts a week, you have to celebrate it when you can.

    • #1
  2. Goldgeller Member
    Goldgeller
    @Goldgeller

    I’m one of those people who likes the cold weather so I’m excited. Also my apartment gets very hot and humid during the summer. So, as I sit here next to fan, I am waiting on that day when it the mornings and evenings are jacket weather. 

     

    • #2
  3. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    On august 11th the sun set in Milwaukee at 8 PM.  Just 11 days later, we’ve already lost another 17 minutes (7:43 PM) – 29 minutes total if you take into account the later sunrise.

    We won’t see an 8 PM sunset again until May.

     

     

    • #3
  4. Shauna Hunt Inactive
    Shauna Hunt
    @ShaunaHunt

    The disappearing light is hard for me. I’m looking forward to cooler weather.

    • #4
  5. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins: like folks in Minnesota look forward to summer.

    When it only lasts a week, you have to celebrate it when you can.

    But when it lasts from three to six months…

    • #5
  6. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    I am looking forward to the long an glorious falls that we have here in the Deep  South. Generally, real cold is way off in February. 

    That used to be my least favorite month, but 15 years ago in 20/20 this lady was born and I love the month now. 

    • #6
  7. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Gary Robbins: Winter is coming! And all is well with the world.

    As is well indeed!  But for me, football season starts tomorrow night at 1900 hours, as The U hits the road to take on the Florida Gators.  Where’s @mikelaroche when you need him?

    • #7
  8. Hang On Member
    Hang On
    @HangOn

    Fall is death, allergies and lack of sunshine. My least favorite season. Winter is cold, lengthening days and hint that glorious spring is coming. 

    • #8
  9. JustmeinAZ Member
    JustmeinAZ
    @JustmeinAZ

    I love summer – even the heat. It’s high baseball season.

    I love fall. Baseball postseason and getting out my fall decorations.

    I love winter. Decorating for Christmas.

    I love spring. Baseball season is nigh.

    • #9
  10. Buckpasser Member
    Buckpasser
    @Buckpasser

    Gary,  13 years ago this week I took our daughter to Flagstaff for her first year at NAU.  The difference in weather in Flagstaff compared to Phoenix made the trips up and down the stairs to her dorm room actually tolerable.

    • #10
  11. Songwriter Inactive
    Songwriter
    @user_19450

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    Gary, 13 years ago this week I took our daughter to Flagstaff for her first year at NAU. The difference in weather in Flagstaff compared to Phoenix made the trips up and down the stairs to her dorm room actually tolerable.

    Arizona is such a beautiful state, filled with amazing contrasts.  And the drive from Flagstaff to Phoenix is a way to see those contrasts in full force.  Several years ago, we entered Flagstaff in July, and the temperature was in the upper 70s!  A few hours to the south in Phoenix, it was 110+.  We stayed in Sedona, which was a nice compromise between the two.

    • #11
  12. Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw Member
    Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw
    @MattBalzer

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins: like folks in Minnesota look forward to summer.

    When it only lasts a week, you have to celebrate it when you can.

    But when it lasts from three to six months…

    I’m going to have to go with

    https://twitter.com/midwestern_ope/status/1160168077876707329

    • #12
  13. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Songwriter (View Comment):
    Arizona is such a beautiful state, filled with amazing contrasts.

    My wife’s never seen the Grand Canyon, so we’ve been pondering a trip out west to do that and more.

    • #13
  14. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Matt Balzer, Imperialist Claw (View Comment):

    I’m going to have to go with

    https://twitter.com/midwestern_ope/status/1160168077876707329

    It’s true.

    • #14
  15. Locke On Member
    Locke On
    @LockeOn

    We’re still getting highs in the 90s in southwest Idaho, but geese are flying through, heading south.  Earlier than usual.  Could be a long and/or hard winter in the northlands.

    • #15
  16. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    I am looking forward to the long an glorious falls that we have here in the Deep South. Generally, real cold is way off in February.

    That used to be my least favorite month, but 15 years ago in 20/20 this lady was born and I love the month now.

    We disagree on so much, but you are an incredible father who loves his children with a passion.  You are a good man and I call you my friend.

    • #16
  17. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Hang On (View Comment):

    Fall is death, allergies and lack of sunshine. My least favorite season. Winter is cold, lengthening days and hint that glorious spring is coming.

    You have not had the joy of 122 degrees as the high in Phoenix in the summer.  What is worse is that the low in Phoenix is between 80 and 90 degrees for months.

    There is a reason that Arizona does not participate in Daylight Savings Time.  We don’t want to save one [CoC] second of daylight!

    • #17
  18. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Buckpasser (View Comment):

    Gary, 13 years ago this week I took our daughter to Flagstaff for her first year at NAU. The difference in weather in Flagstaff compared to Phoenix made the trips up and down the stairs to her dorm room actually tolerable.

    The Phoenix low temp is usually within a couple of the Flagstaff high.

    I am sure you had great visits here to see her.

    • #18
  19. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Stad (View Comment):

    Songwriter (View Comment):
    Arizona is such a beautiful state, filled with amazing contrasts.

    My wife’s never seen the Grand Canyon, so we’ve been pondering a trip out west to do that and more.

    Come to Flagstaff which is on the way, and I will take you to lunch at Josephine’s!

    • #19
  20. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    I admit we don’t have much of a winter, but I do love when fall arrives–and it’s too early for that. Nights still only go down into the 70s, from the 90’s high and humidity (not complaining–much–just sayin’). It’s that morning (no matter what the calendar says) when the crispness is in the early morning air, no matter what the temperature is later. I envy those who love the seasons for what they offer. I’m definitely a “fall person.”

    • #20
  21. Stina Inactive
    Stina
    @CM

    August and harbinger of winter? I can’t imagine.

    Today was the worst of hot and muggy. The rain didn’t even help. Just made it worse. It’s like breathing in damp, hot wool (just smells better).

    October is when we get the occassional fall breeze and the shade starts feeling like relief from the heat.

    • #21
  22. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I admit we don’t have much of a winter, but I do love when fall arrives–and it’s too early for that. Nights still only go down into the 70s, from the 90’s high and humidity (not complaining–much–just sayin’). It’s that morning (no matter what the calendar says) when the crispness is in the early morning air, no matter what the temperature is later. I envy those who love the seasons for what they offer. I’m definitely a “fall person.”

    • #22
  23. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I admit we don’t have much of a winter, but I do love when fall arrives–and it’s too early for that. Nights still only go down into the 70s, from the 90’s high and humidity (not complaining–much–just sayin’). It’s that morning (no matter what the calendar says) when the crispness is in the early morning air, no matter what the temperature is later. I envy those who love the seasons for what they offer. I’m definitely a “fall person.”

    We have long, glorious falls. They just dont’ start till mid Sept or early oct

    • #23
  24. Clifford A. Brown Member
    Clifford A. Brown
    @CliffordBrown

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    I admit we don’t have much of a winter, but I do love when fall arrives–and it’s too early for that. Nights still only go down into the 70s, from the 90’s high and humidity (not complaining–much–just sayin’). It’s that morning (no matter what the calendar says) when the crispness is in the early morning air, no matter what the temperature is later. I envy those who love the seasons for what they offer. I’m definitely a “fall person.”

    Truth.

    • #24
  25. E. Kent Golding Moderator
    E. Kent Golding
    @EKentGolding

    Bryan G. Stephens (View Comment):

    I am looking forward to the long an glorious falls that we have here in the Deep South. Generally, real cold is way off in February.

    That used to be my least favorite month, but 15 years ago in 20/20 this lady was born and I love the month now.

    Congrats!

    • #25
  26. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    On Cape Cod, we’ve gone from hot humid mid-80s all last week to cool dry mid-70s air today. The air is so different that I feel like I’ve gone somewhere else. :-) 

    We have a warm fall on Cape Cod. This is when our weather is completely different from the rest of New England. It’s truly a second summer for us–warm days, cool nights. I love it. :-)

    • #26
  27. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Stad (View Comment):

    Songwriter (View Comment):
    Arizona is such a beautiful state, filled with amazing contrasts.

    My wife’s never seen the Grand Canyon, so we’ve been pondering a trip out west to do that and more.

    Come to Flagstaff which is on the way, and I will take you to lunch at Josephine’s!

    We rarely turn down free food.  Hehe . . .

    • #27
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