Seasons

The best thing about being in America for almost a whole year is that I have been witness to all 4 seasons. The South African seasons are so moderate and I have completely adored the extremes in temperature and climate here in the U.S.

Summer:

We arrived in late summer last August and immediately felt the famous New York blistering heat as we waited in China Town, down-town Manhattan for the bus to Pennsylvania. The summer in State College is hot and wet. The temperature averages in the 80's (look at me -all American, using Fahrenheit and all). A lot of people complain about the humidity but it reminds me of Durban and since I'm always on holiday when I'm in Durbs I have this sense of holiday atmosphere. One of the first things I noticed about State College is that it is really clean and overwhelmingly green - I soon figured out why; it rains frequently (which poses a small problem when your source of transportation is a bicycle). But summer here certainly is bliss - the days are long and everyone seems to enjoy being outside, enjoying nature and soaking up some good old Vitamin D.

Autumn:
Known to Americans everywhere as Fall, I still like to call it Autumn. The evenings become shorter, the fireflies disappear, a nip appears in the air and the leaves start to change. Living in an area with so many trees makes for a stunning Autumn. There is a tinge of sadness leaving the warmth of summer behind and the despair of a long cold winter indoors looming but this is more than merely a transitional season, it is one of real beauty... and pumpkins. And although I have always loved October for the purple Jacarandas, now I will love it for all the reds, oranges and yellows...

Winter:
In Joburg people still talk of the snow of '81. In Pennsylvania snow is not a novelty to say the least! We got a decent snowfall rather early in October and I was completely enthralled with the magic white blanket that lay over the whole town - my neighbour's reaction: 'what a mess'. I hope that I never loose my childlike excitement for the snow but that is more easily said than done, because I have not, yet, had to drive in it (thanks to the Cata Bus) nor shovel it (thanks to the snow removal service at our apartment). I love the snow; the sound it makes squishing under your boots, the sound of silence it produces by muting everything around, snow angels, skiing, studying the uniquely individual flakes that land on your jacket or glove, making the first footprints in fresh snow, following someone else's footsteps, sliding, sinking, falling, sledding and making Phineas, my first snowman at age 30.

Spring:
After months of snow and ice and white, its hard to imagine that anything grew anywhere ever, but it did and it does again.
It might be 6 weeks later than you wanted thanks to Punxsutawney Phil but Winter eventually does come to an end. The snow packs melt and eventually you can venture outside without a coat. You see a few people in T-shirts and you're horrified how naked they appear. And then there are flowers. In State College it started with daffodils and then there were tulips and tulips and tulips. The green blanket replaces the melted muddy slush and the forests flourish and the squirrels are happy again. Everything is fresh and new and full of life and ready for it to begin all over again.