Goodbye Summer

The Harvest Moon is your gateway to fall. It is the full Moon nearest the start of fall or the autumnal equinox. If you missed it this year, Friday, September 16, 2016, the day of the Harvest Moon also brought a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse.

Wow! Can you believe summer is over, another year that has simply flown by. It’s early morning and I’m noticing sunrise creeps over the horizon later and later.

Siri tells me, “Sunrise will be at 6:41 a.m. today.”

The shorter days bring cooler weather. Soon we will don our jackets for a trip to the market. During the summer you could enjoy sunrise at 5:42 a.m. (for those who were up). For readers of this blog this summer marked a milestone. My 60th year.

Yes, Lori had planned a outstanding birthday surprise! Breakfast at Allen's Alley, then off to Los Angles to visit the Grammy Museum. We toured a special exhibit on The Beatles. Turns out August 16, 1966 the Beatles played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles - 50 years ago to the date. It was fun to see photo's; old Ed Sullivan show video, musical instruments, memorabilia, and clothes worn back in the 1960s. Tickets for their first American tour were $5.00!

Then we made our way via downtown LA to Sunset Blvd. to (little did I know) the first established Guitar Center. It was magical. Vintage and custom guitars, new, used, and of course I played a few. Admittedly the best part was walking out on to Sunset Blvd. as so many musicians before me had done with a new Fender Telecaster made in USA at the Corona Factory where we had visited just two years ago. What a fabulous birthday!

Oh - cant forget we finished off our LA tour with dinner at Versailles, the absolute best Cuban food around!

But it doesn’t end there. We made our annual trip to Dodger Stadium to see my Cubs play the Dodgers. And a chance to hear Vin Scully one last time on the transistor radio in the seats at Dodger Stadium. I’m sure going to miss turning on the radio during baseball season and hearing;

"Hi, everybody, and a very pleasant good (afternoon/evening) to you, wherever you may be." His last game, after 67 years, at AT&T Park was Sunday, October 2, 2016. The San Francisco Giants honoring Vin with a dedication plaque in the visiting broadcast booth.

And of course we can’t forget this years High Sierra mountain adventure. An inspirational trip, for the record books.

Well, it’s after Labor Day and the beaches once again are relatively quiet with the local surfers feeling the chill of the Pacific. Autumn is a time to gather; to prepare for early darkness, a time to plan for the holidays, a time to re-examine your opportunities, and a time to give thanks.

Shopping areas are again free from congestion, the harbors quietly going about their business, and the freeways, well, southern California is not known for its light traffic. However, if you get out early, the morning traffic is not bad, really.

We are fortunate in California, our temperate climate allows us to continue to enjoy outdoor activities. Remember, on November 6th we “fall back” (clocks set back one hour).

So, take advantage of the cool, crisp fresh air, the morning glow, golden sunsets, and the splendid colors of the changing trees.

Goodbye to summer . . .

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