One of those
A perfect September day in Rockport, Maine, 2012
“It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life.” — P.D. James
Perfect autumn days might be more numerous in our memory than in reality., but they can happen anywhere, and they aren’t just about foliage or pumpkins. The photo above was taken on a beautiful September day in New England when the cool weather, sunshine, water and boats were a wonderful change of pace from the heat of the summer we had just endured.
In the southern hemisphere, September heralds the coming of warmer weather, and in tropical climates, fall might mean less heat and humidity, but not falling leaves or fading flowers.
Wherever you are, whatever this time of year looks like in your world, I wish you one of those perfect days you’ll remember often!
One year ago today:
- Posted in: Uncategorized
- Tagged: Autumn, climate, fall, memories, New England, perfect days, seasons, September, sunshine, weather
Defeat Despair 
Today is one of those wonderful autumnal days. Here in South Carolina, the temperature is 63, the humidity is low and the sky is bright blue. The tea olives are in bloom and the air is fragrant.
Re: your earlier post on house plants, my best advice is to buy a water meter and use it before watering your plants. Most of mine only need water once a week. A good gardening store with knowledgable staff will be of great help ( not a big box store!).
I’m headed outside😃😃
Ann, today was HOT here in Virginia, but we are supposed to have cooler weather the rest of the week. Your day sounds WONDERFUL! BTW Jeff and I planted three tea olives on our “lower 40” (our nickname for our wooded lot of about 1/4 acre) and they didn’t do well. One is hanging on, but the others died within a few years. I’m not sure what we did wrong but my guess is not enough sunlight. The trees all around grew and blocked it out more and more. I will definitely try to get a water meter. Right now I just use the old “stick my finger in the dirt” method which is not very precise. 😀 No wonder I’m not so good with plants. Thanks for the tip!
Julia, it sounds as though all the elements came together to create this perfect day (and photograph). We are having a beautiful day here and very quiet. What’s not to love? 🙂
Sheila, that was indeed a perfect day on a wonderful trip. We had no idea that just days after we arrived home, Jeff would find out about his cancer. We remember that trip now as sort of the end of an era in our lives, and we are so happy we took it. Lesson learned: never postpone joy! Speaking of which, sounds as if you had a lovely day. I’ve waited for the heat to die down before walking today, but I hope to get in at least a short walk before dark.
lovely picture. So glad you and Jeff had some time away before the bad news.
We’ve had a mild summer in SE Oklahoma…in the 80/90’s. Usually in 100’s in July and August. Today was a mild 80%. Charlie and I went for a short walk just as the sun was setting…lovely. Of course, Charlie had to check out every turf of grass… 🙂
Merry, if 80-90 is mild, no wonder Charlie had to check out the grass! There must not be much left at this time of year after a normal summer. It’s wonderfully cool tonight. We have our windows open. Glad you like the photo. I love New England.
Good morning, Julia!
I looked at that photo and thought how familiar it looks; are all New England coastal towns starting to look alike to me?
No, your caption says it’s Rockport, just a few miles from where my parents used to live in Rockland, Maine!
I so enjoy your photos, and fun surprises like that one.
Susan, we went to both Rockland and Rockport, and I wasn’t sure which that was, but I checked online and found an almost identical scene that said Rockport – of course, that person may not have been right either…they are so close together that it’s easy to confuse them, and I honestly can’t remember which was which now. I should set the GPS on my camera, but I probably couldn’t figure out how to make it work so I could understand it. I do have a very distinct memory of Camden, because of the gorgeous library there, but so many of the little New England towns have wonderful libraries. Do your parents miss Rockland? I would love to be able to afford having a home in Maine that I could visit about 6 months of the year – one in the late spring, two in the summer, one in the fall, and one in winter, just for some cozy snowed-in time! Hey, I’m dreaming, so I can go whenever I want!
Good morning, Julia! I didn’t know the answer to your question, so thank you for asking it – I asked my parents and got some great stories!
They don’t miss the cold, but they do miss the people that they knew there.
Also, my dad was in an accident and broke his back, which of course is not a good memory, but the local support was outstanding! People sent flowers and cards, but amazingly, the local insurance agency asked if there was a car involved (there was) and paid the medical deductibles not covered by Dad’s insurance! Wow!
Yes, I was so impressed by how nice all the people seemed to be in Maine. I wouldn’t want too much of that cold, though. That’s why my fantasy includes only one month of winter there. Jeff and I were so surprised at all the gorgeous public libraries in even the smallest towns. We wondered why that might be — then we decided that there is plenty of need for books during the cold weather, of which they get a lot. Several of the libraries we saw also had fireplaces that appeared to be in working condition, with easy chairs in front for reading. Maybe winter there wouldn’t be so bad, especially if it was only one month a year. The cold was the only thing I didn’t like about living in Ohio.
I always think of Cabot Cove when I think of Maine. Angela Lansbury and her o’so cute house. I just loved that show. Thinking about the past does put a shine on it. Nostalgia, I think I’d call it 😀 LOL. Even the more harsh things lose their sting after a bit of time goes by. I wonder if it’s our brains being selective and letting go of the less pleasant aspects of yesterday, so that there’s more room for good vibes?
I never watched that show, but maybe Jeff and I should stream some old episodes of it. I do think our brains remember selectively, and focus on the happy thoughts, unless we are depressed or otherwise incapacitated. It’s a blessing to allow time to ease sorrows and magnify joys. Hooray for nostalgia, as long as it doesn’t blind us to how amazingly wonderful things are NOW!
Agreed ! As the saying goes, “let the sun shine on your face and the shadows fall behind” xo
😀