And just like that, summer draws to a close. Oh, sure, officially it ain’t over until September 22, but we in the Upper Delaware River region know it’s all downhill from here. And by “downhill,” I mean skiing. In snow. Wearing gloves and boots and scarves, oh my! Each of the seasons has merit and I don’t like to play favorites, but if I had to choose, fall and its coat of many colors comes in at number one. Still… it’s hard to say goodbye to summer, even though this one will go down in history as scary, sad and (IMHO) just plain bizarre.

As I reflect on the past few months, I can’t help but wonder how many summers I have left. With the possible exception of psychics, clairvoyants and the second-sighted, none of us really know when our time is up, but I see a dirt nap in my future. In these unchartered waters, there are days when that sounds downright dreamy. Still… I’m in no great hurry, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do the math; there are clearly more summers behind me than lay ahead.

While pondering these and other deep thoughts, I’ve flipped through my pictures of summer 2020 and came to no conclusions, save for the mere fact that another one bites the dust. I’ll miss the warm weather, but look forward to cooler nights and continue to pray for an escape from the madness known as COVID-19. I’ll miss fireflies and snapdragons but gleefully embrace the first snow as I rush out in my slippers, momentarily forgetting that galoshes will be in style for a while.

I’ll miss roaring fires outside at Camp Fox but anticipate snuggling up indoors by the hearth, Wonder Dog at my feet. I’ll miss my dear friends who have succumbed to the virus but honor their memory as the first autumn leaves flutter to the ground.

I’ll miss watching my pooch frolic with her boyfriend before we both put our feet up and watch boats drift past the window, clouds scudding by overhead. I won’t miss tourists not wearing masks, or (some-but-not-all) rude visitors fleeing the city, swarming here in record numbers, littering our roads while racing through town at breakneck speed. So long, suckers—don’t let the proverbial screen door hit your back as you exit. Just drop your money along with your freakin’ attitude and skedaddle.*

Next up: pumpkins, cider and all that jazz. It’s been a weird summer and we could all use a break. My glass is rarely half-full… but fingers crossed, some big changes are afoot and a shift in perspective is just around the corner. I mean, it couldn’t get worse, could it?

See you in September.

*Don’t agree with me? I’d love to know what you think. Feel free to send your thoughts to jonathanfox@riverreporter.com. It’s just my humble opinion and I’m sticking to it, so there.

Fun Fact: “See You in September” is a song written by Sid Wayne and Sherman Edwards. It was first recorded by the Pittsburgh vocal group The Tempos. This first version peaked at #23 in the summer of 1959. The most popular take on “See You in September” was by The Happenings in 1966, which reached #3 (www.wikipedia.com).