Michelle Kaplan

Autumn in Florida, I’m not Falling for That

If there is one time of year that I don’t like being a Floridian, it’s the fall. I miss everything about the fall that you can’t get here. There is nothing quiet like autumn in New England. That first morning you wake up and the air is a little cooler, but by afternoon it fades becoming warm. Then comes the first night you have to reach in the closet for that extra blanket, the thick, really warm one. The first time you get home from work, get out of the car and immediately recognize that familiar smell – ahhh, someone’s fireplace is burning.

The first weekend when the wind blows chilly and the trees have all of a sudden burst into color. It’s still warm enough to step out onto the front porch and admire the color with a steaming hot cup of coffee to warm your hands. The sun starts to sink around 4 PM, giving you an excuse to put on your pajamas early and declare yourself ‘in for the night’.

Floridians will insist that the seasons here change. They are just subtler, you have to be more observant to notice them…so I went looking and yeah, they’re right.

Although it’s about 89 degrees out, the department stores have stocked their shelves with wool and angora sweaters, brown and black corduroy and heavy, almost ski resort style vests.

Most have already skipped anything resembling Halloween and have gone right into the Christmas décor complete with snow and icicles. I don’t know, as a Floridian I’m kinda insulted that they’re trying to sell me this stuff. Seriously I’m still in the market for shorts and T’s at least until late November when we can all break out the kakis and three quarter sleeves.

To those who are going to experience your first winter as a Floridian it can be downright odd and even unsettling. As I remember my first winter here, I had this general unnatural, uneasy feeling seeing Christmas trees and Santa all decked out in what must be an extremely uncomfortably hot Santa suit. It the same feeling you might experience when traveling thousands of miles, by plane, by car, by donkey and foot to a tiny, quaint little unknown, out of the way, Italian village only to find a McDonalds.

I’d like to see a more realistic picture than just taking what works on New York’s 5th Avenue in November and sticking it in my local Neiman Marcus. ‘Hey folks, most likely it’s not going to snow here again this year!’ Why do the stores try to dress up and play winter here, when you can go down to Clematis Street in a mini skirt until mid December.

I know it’s a psychological ploy to get us to buy into the idea of winter here and perhaps purchase an entire winter wardrobe and maybe, for the really weak minded, a pair of skis, you know, just in case. Yes, there are a few days each year we are blessed with an actual cold day, but really it’s just a few.

When you do live up north, you appreciate the beauty of fall differently, and for maybe only a day or so, because it is just a precursor of what’s to come and folks, that’s not pretty…in fact, that’s the reason most of us are here.

And you get used to hearing, that if you miss the fall, well, it is only a plane ride away. Lucky for me this year, I’ll once again get to visit it. Although living it is entirely different.

That is why I do envy my friends in New England this time of year…the way they envy me sometime in February.

So, I’ll save them a seat poolside this winter, if they save me a nice big pile of fall leaves to dive in.