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Friday, October 9, 2015

Indian Summer



Indian Summer 
~ a period of mild, dry weather,
following a period of colder weather, occurring
 in October or early November.

Last week we woke up to damp chilly mornings around 
45 degrees.  We dug out our jeans, slippers and jackets
and ate soup and drank hot tea!

This week we have warm breezes blowing through
open windows and some days it's so warm the A/C comes
back on!  We're barefoot and in our shorts again!
Yep, it's Indian Summer!

So, why is Indian Summer called Indian Summer?
The more probable origin of the term goes back to the very
early settlers in New England.  Each year they would welcome
the arrival of a cold wintry weather in late October when they
could leave their stockades unarmed.  But then came a time
when it would suddenly turn warm again, and the Native 
Americans would decide to have one more go at the settlers.
"Indian Summer", the settlers called it.

No matter how the term began, I'm welcoming the
warm weather....it's letting my tomatoes have one
more chance to ripen on the vine!

Info taken from The Old Farmer's Almanac.

40 comments:

  1. I love this time of year, we are supposed to have a warm weekend, we will finish the yardwork and enjoy the smell of autumn! Pumpkin muffins are baking, that's another smell of autumn:)

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    1. Yum...I baked pumpkin bread yesterday! So good!

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  2. We had a warm week last week, then 3 days of rain and overcast skies. Now we are back to sunshine but it's suddenly cold. But as it's autumn who knows what will happen next?
    My iPad has really severe predictive text-itis. For autumn it tried to substitute "sautéed". I do not understand why it does this and have found no way of stopping it. Grrrr!

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    1. The fun of fall.....wearing layers and peeling them off throughout the day, only to put them back on in the evening! haha.

      That is the one thing I dislike about my iPad....that auto correct, which is never right!

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    2. Yes never right and often in a seriously weird way,
      Went to a Knitting & Stitching show this afternoon with noble friend. I bought some fabric for patchwork and a kit to learn how to do beadwork. Maybe I'll give the beadwork a try this winter.
      And I bought this AMAZING tin off Etsy. It's for Walkers crisps (Lay's in disguise) and miles bigger than I was expecting. Total bargain. The person who sold it had no idea how much I wanted it.

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    3. The beadwork sounds fun...the perfect little project for snuggling up on the couch this winter!
      And the tin...sounds like the perfect thing!

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  3. Anything that staves off the snow
    Is great in my book at my show
    Never really got too cold here
    But at least no more sweating off my rhyming rear

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    1. I'm happy to see the summer go...
      give me fall leaves and then some snow!
      Now don't go cursing and throwing things!
      After those will come the spring!
      :)

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  4. Fascinating explanation as to the meaning and origins of "Indian Summer". I have often wondered . thanks Pink Cloud . . :)
    We are having a bit of an Indian Summer here as well . . . . Peter and I spent most of the day in the park or in town . . . it was lovely and warm . . :)

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    1. I'm curious as to how come you don't call it by another name. The story doesn't apply to you Brits over there! haha.
      Glad it was warm enough to spend the day outdoors....you'll sleep well tonight, no doubt!

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    2. I think we might just have taken the name from you and used it . . . I'll look it up and see. .
      Yes will sleep well but may toss and turn a little . . something on my mind . . . :)

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  5. Beautiful here the last few days too.
    I took a wrap and sat on my rooftop garden yesterday overlooking the sailboats and trains and planes. And a TON of ladybugs! Made me feel a bit better to get outside for a while. May do it again in a few minutes.
    Guess what? I got a grocery delivery today (bought way too much considering I'm not eating), but one of the things I bought was a spaghetti squash!
    It's staring at me as if saying, "Okay... now what?"
    lol

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    1. Ooh..nice on the spaghetti squash! Just bake it, shred it with a fork and then you can use it all week for many things! My favorite way is just tossed with a little olive oil and parmesan.....rewarm in microwave...delish. And you know all my creations....just saute veggies and meat and stir in the squash at the end....so good! Yum! Makes me wish I had one here! haha.

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  6. I've always wondered how it got the name,,, very interesting!
    The food in the post below has made me very hungry!

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    1. wish you lived close....I'd love to have you over! :)

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  7. I love these fall days. I have a print called Injun Summer, used to be printed every fall in the Chicago Tribune....a little boy and his grandfather turning haystacks into tepees. I know it isn't politically correct. I try to look past it and picture the beautiful land the native Americans must have seen here in the fall.

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    1. I just looked it up....was printed in the Chicago Tribune clear back to 1907! Amazing....and it is cute. I'm tired of all the PC stuff anyway....I'm part American Indian and I love it. haha....

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    2. I knew it was old, but didn't realize it was 1907!

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  8. Yes it is a wonderful day today. I worked outside in the morning and it was nice to be out there. I go from shorts to jeans continually too. It is hard to know.

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    1. Yep,...afternoons come and I shed half my clothes! haha.... Let me guess...you were up on that ladder?

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  9. I love Indian Summer and I hoe it lasts a while!

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  10. My friend and I were just talking about Indian Summer today. She said we have to have a "killing frost" before we can technically call it an Indian Summer. Who knew? Either way the weather is gorgeous!
    :0)

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    1. Interesting...I looked on three sites and didn't see that in any definitions...

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    2. Well, then maybe it isn't so. As long as it's October and feeling like summertime, I'll take it as Indian Summer.
      :0)

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  11. Interesting story as I did not know the origins of the term! Our weather, just south of you, is much the same.

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    1. It has been wonderful....so many reasons to love fall!

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  12. Love your picture.... Very interesting story about Indian Summer. It's one of those stories that when you hear it you say, "Ah Ha", because it makes perfect sense.

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    1. Yep...I hadn't heard it either...but actually hadn't really even wondered about the name. Very interesting.
      Hope you're doing ok!

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  13. We're having similar weather here. I moved all the short sleeved shirts to the back of my closet; this week I'm pulling them out one by one.

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    1. It sure is pleasant....not humid and sticky like summer....just very nice!

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  14. Hi Betsy - it's a lovely description and one we use here for warmer weather in cooler times! The weather has been glorious, but after some wet, we're now into a few days of bright chill ... leading to colder! Lovely photo .. cheers Hilary

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    1. As long as you have the sunshine with the cold, right? haha.

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  15. I didn't know the story, but I have always waited for this last little heat wave to pass before I really start to enjoy fall. I hear it's leaving next week- whoo hoo!

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    1. yeah, I'm always hesitant to get too excited until it's cold to stay! Our leaves have just started turning so fall seems like it's just about to begin, actually!

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  16. "Indian Summer" way down South is the same as yours.... except hotter! and muggier! Not quiet as bad as the August heat and humidity, but some days it feels really close! And of course, we have to shut the house up tight again, and turn the A/C's back on for another week... until the next cold front comes blasting through from up your way, and puts that Fall chill back in the air.... think we have one coming in here tonight as a matter of fact!

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    1. It's going to be about time to put the garden to bed for the winter, isn't it? I'm holding out...I have my first green peppers about to be picked. haha...what a weird garden I've had this year!

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  17. Thought we'd had our last BLT of the year awhile back. But, my husband found a handful of small ripe tomatoes in the garden this morning, so we get another chance!

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  18. Interesting history...thanks. And you are right...it's here and it's so lovely, I think the best one yet.

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  19. I'm glad that you haven't had the cold weather yet, I know it can come early some years. On the flip side, we are supposed to be 100 this week but then I think that is the last hurrah of summer for us :) Janine in AZ

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