Fall has come to Florida too. Not just to New England, with its riot of colors on every hillside. But also here, where the palm fronds still wave, and the trees are still green. So how does it manifest?

The overnight temperatures instead of being in the low 80’s are in the low to mid 70’s. The humidity, instead of being 70% is mostly below 60%. The clouds, when they form, are fair weather clouds that float above the Gulf of Mexico like cotton balls in an aquamarine sky. The rain becomes a rare event, and the grass doesn’t need mowing constantly.

It is subtle, as I suppose it should be. In New England the colors of fall, the early frosts that turn to beautiful days in the apple orchards are a promise that life will return after the winter forces rest on all that lives. It is beautiful, but still…..I’m happy to know I can go to the beach still, where the Gulf water is still in the mid to high 80’s and the sun warms the days still to 90 or so. I can still wear shorts and flip flops.

It doesn’t even begin to be chilly here until maybe January. Then, for maybe 6 weeks, I have to switch to jeans and closed-toed shoes, and maybe even a light jacket. That north wind, of the polar express up north, can reach us, and drop the temps into the 50’s occasionally. Mostly 60’s, and that is a relief, really. A respite from the intense heat of summer.

Today is my 3 year anniversary of moving here. I think I have assimilated to the pace of life here. I have manifested the dream I dreamed about before I retired. I have an amazing man in my life. I have a very close circle of good friends. I have a cute little house, though it has its issues. I have survived a hurricane and other weather anomalies. We added a boat to our lives, but I think that part is over. It is just too much work, especially down here. I loved having a boat in my earlier life. Now, it is just a source of work and anxiety.  As I see many of my friends paring down their lives, simplifying, I realize that’s just a good thing to do as we age.

Our social life is a lot of fun. We have good friends who play music at the many venues here. I have my writer’s group, which I formed, and which meets at my house once a month. Someone was asking about it the other day, what we write, etc. After explaining to her that we write whatever we want, that if we have a prompt, we are not mandated to write about it if it doesn’t resonate with us. I told her we all read what we write, and usually share a couple bottles of wine, and a couple joints while we do it. So that in the end, the 8 of us are a little drunk, a little high, and full of laughter and love and stories. I also have my spirit girls, who don’t indulge in the wine and weed, but do engage in bonding, in our shared stories and commitment to trying to raise our consciousness. We meet every other week and rotate the meetings to each other’s homes.

Then Dan and I have the gongs. While sound healing is really my thing, it is also something he has embraced, although the spiritual aspects of it are still not within his grasp. He’s willing and open, and maybe one day the epiphany will strike, but until then, as long as he’s happy doing what he’s doing, then I’m happy.

While Connecticut will always be home to me, Florida has also become home. And, Connecticut grows fainter. It is where my son was born and grew up, and I still have many close friends and memories there.  But you know, my life doesn’t intersect with theirs very much now, so they are fading a little with time.

Still I am blessed. Surrounded by grace, grateful that I am in a place that brings me joy every day. Grateful for my friends and family, and particularly the man I love.

Love and light to everyone.