It's Strange...

this state that I live in. West Virginia is rugged, no doubt about it. We're rural. We (very proudly!) still have miles and miles of untouched mountains. White water rafting. It's a state made for extreme sports of all kinds. The winters are brutal, with below freezing temps and an abundance of ice and snow.The summers are hot enough to melt the skin right off your body. Often in the low to mid 90s, with exceptionally high humidity. At the peak, in mid-July to the end of August, trying to be outside and work, you find it difficult to breathe from the pressure the humidity puts on your chest. All through this we grumble, gripe, and complain. We all talk about leaving this state, going somewhere where there's more to do, milder climates, less humidity...ANYWHERE...but then comes September. Ah, the beginning of West Virginia's glory days. It never fails. You wake up one day, always near the beginning of the month, and you realize that all around you is perfection. Mild temperatures, bottomed out humidity, almost constant light breezes, and the most beautiful skies that you could imagine. A deep blue reflective of the sapphire that represents those born during this month. Suddenly we crave that first frost, because with it comes a piece of artwork from our proud mountains that would rival anything Monet could ever have come up with. Nothing can compare to the autumn foliage, and with it a continuation of the mild weather that glorious September has ushered in. All too soon winter will arrive. The thought tickles at our brains. For now, however, we will all be content with the rugged beauty that surrounds us.

What brought this on, you ask? Well, my favorite month of the year delivered this morning. It was around 90 yesterday. This morning, though? I woke up to this!