The jury’s still out on whether it is Summer or Fall.

Getting dressed is becoming a real challenge these days and I don’t always get it right.

These roller-coaster temperatures remind me of the story of “Goldilocks and The Three Bears” and how she tasted the bears’ bowls of porridge – “too hot” or “too cold” or “just right” is what she declared, as she sampled each successive bowl.  During my morning walk last Saturday I was “too cold” and could have used another layer; on Sunday I was “just right” and yesterday and today I was way “too hot” and needed to remove a layer.  Shucking off your coat or hoodie is one thing, but when you’re only wearing a sweatshirt and you get really warm, well then you have a problem.

But, weather-wise it’s been a great run of dry weather and it’s helped me amp up the walking miles for my year-end goal.  We’re on the cusp of a few rainy days, which we certainly need, but it will put a damper on any walking.  I’ll just keep my fingers crossed the rain is later in the day, or even better, overnight.

But, I am a realist, and we sure do need that rain.  When I worked in the yard over the weekend, the garden was extremely dry.  I ended up hand-watering the entire front and backyard gardens because the earth was so parched.  In an effort to be creative and add a little Fall flair to the front yard, I got a cute girl scarecrow and tried pushing that scarecrow’s stake into the front garden, only to find that dirt was hard as a rock, even after watering.

Well, the weather folks have been using that “D” word  a/k/a “drought” for a while, but that sharp, pointed stake, which could not even put a dent in the earth, confirmed what Paul Gross, my favorite weatherman, has been preaching about for at least six weeks now.

But, I was determined this perky farm girl with the denim dress and cute straw pigtails would grace the front yard, so I figured I’d prop that scarecrow in the corner between two bushes.  Patiently, I arranged her this way and that, then stood back to see how she looked.  Her one arm was at an awkward angle, so I gave it a tug, and next thing I knew, her entire straw-filled arm fell off.  Oops!  I tried some quick surgery to tuck the arm back into place but it was a lame effort and she looked a little lopsided.  So much for harvest décor.  I’ll just keep admiring everyone else’s front yard decorations, like this cute scarecrow which I pass every day enroute to Council Point Park.

This hot weather may convince you that Summer is still flourishing, but it belies the fact that Fall is here calendar wise.  The days are really getting shorter all of a sudden and many leaves are fluttering down.  The musty smell from the ever-growing carpet of dead leaves in the bushy areas of the Park was filling my nostrils as I walked on the perimeter path on this humid morning.

The squirrels are savvy and know this weather is a fluke, and thus are still scrambling over for their daily share of peanuts, some to enjoy within my view, and the rest are carted off to squirrel away for leaner times.

The perimeter path was crowded this morning, with many walkers and runners enjoying these unseasonable Fall temps.  Most of us were carrying our coats or hoodies, or had them looped around our waists, since it was chilly when we left home, but once Mr. Sun takes a notion to shine at full strength, Mother Earth heats up quickly.

I added another five miles to my tally on this absolutely beautiful Autumn day.