I'm not yet ready to embrace the fall and all her beauty and all her wonder. I'm not ready to see all the images of sweaters and blankets, of pumpkins and mums, of cider and cocoa that are flooding my social media streams. Don't misunderstand me, autumn is my favorite season - but I'm not ready to bid my summer a fond farewell. 

September is a month of contrasts and juxtapositions. It's a confusing month - the weather tells us one thing, but the calendar tells us something altogether differently. As big yellow busses present themselves, making many parents jump for joy, as shopping bags fill up with notebooks, binders, folders, pens and pencils we gear up for another year of learning - of rigid schedules filled with academia, sport and other extra-curricular activities.

For many, like myself, we have a new world to discover - the word of college visits, applications and testing. It's so hard to head in that direction when the hot weather shows no sign of cooling. While September often promises to be a month of warm sweaters, it's still a month of sundresses, flip-flops and bathing suits. Unlike the schools in the south, schools here in New England have no air conditioning. My children officially start school today as the temperatures will once again creep up into the 90s, with oppressive humidity and no means of cooling off. September can really be such a cruel month!

And since I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to summer and all that she has to offer, I won't! I'll visit the beach and swim in the pool... I'll wear my flip flops and slip into sundresses... I'll sip ice-cold iced-tea (and my rose after 5:00!)... I still have ice cream and lobster rolls and barbeques to enjoy. And although our days are already getting shorter, I'll try to catch a few more evenings at the shore and watch the sun set off in the distance. I'm not done with you summer... I'm simply not!