Although I can’t make an official declaration (as I haven’t noticed any leaves falling from trees or wool turtleneck sweaters moseying around town) I do believe fall is finally coming to Austin.

After weeks of wondering, “I thought summer was officially over…when will the 95 degree weather cease?!” I woke up to the sound of rain and wind debris hitting my bay window. Though it was 3am, I ran to the back porch (hoping no one was outside to see me in my skivvies) and watched it rain into the dark for a bit.

When I finally stopped hitting snooze and edged out of bed, I decided to forego the coffee and instead made myself a cup of wintery hot chocolate. I resurrected my favorite fall/winter cds (Death Cab for Cutie, Jackson Browne…) of which I have no rationale for why they are classified as such. It’s probably just a memory-association thing, like how the smell of crayons reminds you of kindergarten. Or how the sound a lawnmower in the distance reminds you of summertime.

One chunky sweater and irrational craving for pumpkin bread later, I had walked out into the rain to find my truck window rolled completely down. I must have illogically assumed that the summer-time climate would persevere through the night. Hm…instead of being upset at the thought of sitting on my drenched upholstery, I embraced it. Intimately experiencing the rain and thoroughly enjoying the surprise morsel of Fall. Or something like that.

Driving to work, I caught a tiny glimpse of Austin in the distance- shrouded by clouds and wet and rain and dark. She’s kept her seasons a mystery to me, teasing me with whisps of winter, snippets of Autumn. I have yet to fully experience a Texas shift in calendar, a switch of time. . . so I never know what the next morning or afternoon or evening will bring.

Watch. Tomorrow will be sweltering, right?