For the past two months, the temperature was 97 degrees with nearly 100% humidity. It seemed eternal. No rain, no relief, just relentless, energy-sapping hell. Then something happened during the last week of August... it was 85, dry and sunny. Sheer weather bliss!

I was dropping Jeremy off at his house and we got to talking. We sat on his front lawn and yapped for almost two hours as the sun set. He mentioned that his acupuncturist said that we are now in the Fifth Season. She explained that between summer and fall is this perfect fifth season where the humidity and high temperatures break, and cooler dry air takes over. I had never really considered it before, but now, I'm sure it's my favorite season. The air conditioning is off, the windows are open at night, and the crickets sing me to sleep. It's bliss.

Jeremy left for Arizona the next day, and his schedule wouldn't have him back in the area until almost the second week in September. I worried that he would miss the best part of the year.

I visited Arizona this past weekend (Labor Day Weekend) and I really enjoyed the heat. There is something so all-encompassing about the air there; you have no choice but to be hyper-aware of it. You can feel it on your skin, you can feel it warm your lungs. It feels like a hug; comfortable, secure, warm. I'm sure people think I'm crazy for thinking this, but I really love it when it's 115 out there. There's nothing like it at all.

When asked what season is my favorite though, it's hard to make a clear-cut decision. My gut reaction is summer; it seems that the world kicks things back to a slower pace in the summer, taking more time to goof off and relax. It's a miracle that any work gets done in the summertime. I wonder if those students who go to school year-round will have that same instinct? I hear that in Europe, it's customary for people to take many weeks vacation. Sounds good to me...

Then I think Spring must be my favorite season, because the world is waking up from its wintery slumber, and the buds on the trees and the humming of fat bumblebees in spring flowers is just the best. There's two trees right in front of my apartment here in Delaware that absolutely erupt with flowers in the springtime -- big pink and white carnation-looking things that smell sweet, heady and amazing. The branches get heavy with these juicy flowers, and they hang right over the walkway to my place. When walking from my car to my apartment door, I can't resist pulling a branch down and taking a whiff. My favorite part is when all of the flowers suddenly drop off the trees within a week, and the walkway to my apartment door is completely lined with petals, as if I were an esteemed person worthy of flower petals on my path. :-)

Of course, nothing can beat Fall. Squishy sweaters, comfy jeans, thick cotton socks, amazing leaves, flannel pajamas, hot apple cider, rosy cheeks, apple and pumpkin picking, snuggling up to keep warm, hayrides, hot chocolate, Halloween, and of course, guys chasing you through cornfields with chainsaws at Silo X.

And there's no question about it... except for that one day a year when the snow falls and seals you into your house with someone you love and lots of movies to watch (but before the snow gets slushy and dirty), winter sucks. :-)