A Different Kind of Fall

No, those aren't fall leaves dotting the ground. Wishful thinking. This is actually a picture we took in the spring in Golden Gate Park. Orange, yellow and pink poppies and deep, dark purple tulips. I like this picture, though, because the colors look fall-like, and that's the best I can do for now--find a picture that's fall-like since there are so few signs of fall in San Francisco. I've been a little fussy lately because I love fall, but fall doesn't make much of an appearance here in San Francisco in the way that I'm used to in Georgia. Andrew says the leaves are just beginning to turn in Atlanta and that it's still pretty warm there, so I guess I'm not missing much, but when I read posts lately from Alicia's beautiful blog, I'm so envious! (Oh, and this blog, which I just found. The fall pictures under yesterday's post are so beautiful!) This weekend I planned to make soup, which I made, but it was hot here, and I felt strange making soup. I was hoping for a cool, fall-like weekend, but I guess I had enough of those in the summer anyway. Summer and fall are kind of flip-flopped here. Summer is cooler than fall. It's still bizarre to me, but the flowers don't seem to know the difference! They love it here year-round.

I really shouldn't complain at all. It is beautiful here, regardless of what temperature it is or what season it is, and regardless that it's not what I'm used to. Flowers are still in full bloom everywhere. My neighbors a few doors down have basketball sized hydrangea blooms that just won't quit, and their roses are as big as large grapefruits that continue to have new buds popping out all over. The neighbors behind us have a fig tree and an apple tree, both covered with fruit (and all their green leaves). The neighbors behind them have a lemon tree covered in lemons. Lemon trees are everywhere here. As you can imagine, it doesn't look like fall here. I think I'll take some pictures of what I'm talking about so you can see it for yourself. Today the high is 77--a hot day for San Francisco. I don't think I've seen it get above 80 in the year and a half that we've lived here. Having moved from a place where temperatures in the high 90's are normal in the summer, I know I shouldn't complain at all!