By the last week of October, it had cooled off enough to the point where it’s too chilly to have my window open all day. The leaves are changing colors, people outside are starting to wear their heavier coats, and the tree outside my window is slowly shedding its leaves. There’s a gentle wind that’s drying out my skin and chapping my lips.
The sun is setting earlier; I can tell because it’s low enough to shine though my window at the office, and it’s too hot on my back mid-afternoon. It wasn’t like this before.
Even the light and smells are different. The whole world is more golden and even-toned than the bright summer sun. The smells are smokier and sharper, and there’s a tiny cold shock when I breathe in deeply.
All of this might be totally normal for you, but I grew up in southern California so it’s really strange and alien for me. My body is used to having sunshine and hot temperatures all year round, so this cooler climate is making me feel off. I almost feel like it’s a fall rainy weekend that’s going to go away soon. It hasn’t. It’s just seasons, and I’m not sure that I like them! More sunny days, please.
The Sunday before last, it was so cold that I decided to never get out of bed ever again (but I got hungry and bored). Then in Asturias this weekend, it was even chillier and I thought my freezing nose was never going to feel normal again (it did!).
It’s not even that cold here, but I’m still at a loss when I have to choose my clothes for the day.Winter wear for me is leggings and a sweater with a scarf if it’s ‘really’ cold. I bought my first-ever proper coat just last year. I wore all my ‘winter’ clothes during October, so I have no idea what I’m going to wear to stay warm for November, let alone December.
Ok, you can say it – people from California are spoiled! Will somebody please help me figure out how to deal with real seasons?
Besos!
-Jess
Barcelona <3. It's so beautiful in the fall!
I agree, the colors are so pretty!
I am the complete opposite! I grew up in Chicago and went to school in Iowa, so it was a dream to find work in Seville. I can’t take the intense heat, though!
I grew up somewhere with a climate pretty much exactly like Sevilla, so I didn’t mind the temperatures when I lived there. It does get seriously hot though!
Okay, here is my attempt at helping you. Fall is my favorite season. I love the changing colors, they are so beautiful!! yes, there are cooler days but the beauty I see all around me envelopes me and makes me feel warm. I actually enjoy the change in wardrobe, look forward to putting on my sweaters again. And I always hit the sales in early January to purchase new sweaters at bargain prices. Did that help?
Haha that does! I’ll definitely be buying January rebajas sweaters to warm up. And like you said, the fall colors are really beautiful.
Two words: a goose down coat! In order to survive winter anywhere north of North Carolina (East Coast), you cannot simply rely on leggings and a scarf. Some people wear leggings/long underwear underneath their pants, that’s how cold it can get in some places (hello Canada!)! One of the best places to shop for winter wear/goose down coats is LL Bean/Lands’ End (they are different companies but to me, their clothing and style look the same!). I just recently bought this fabulous coat at Express the past week (http://www.express.com/hooded-packable-puffer-jacket-50488-33/control/page/7/show/3/index.pro#jsLink) I was in Boston and I’m so glad I did! It’s lightweight and not puffy at all like some bulky winter coats. And it’s partly goose down (or fake goose down, it says “water fowl feathers” on the tag) It got so cold this week and I’ve been wearing it pretty much nonstop.
Of course there’s more that goes into winter wear: hats, scarves, gloves, boots… but those are all extra. The basic thing you need to have is a good warm coat! You should see the super long puffy jacket my mom wears in Boston… the wind in the winter in that city is brutal!
Haha yes, the leggings and a scarf thing just doesn’t cut it in most places! 🙂 I love the Express coat, I’ll have to make a trip there when I’m home at Christmas. Thanks for your tips, they definitely help!
I grew up in the Caribbean, so the only seasons I knew were heat and rain… so when I moved to Europe I was excited about having seasons!!! But Barcelona is a special case… here we have wonderful weather and then wonderful weather but cold enough so you can’t go to the beach anymore and sometimes some serious cold hahahaha! I love this city but I’m jealous about my friends posting amazing fall photos with parks full of red and yellow leaves and things like that 🙁
That’s true, autumn colors are so pretty! We have a little bit of change in Barcelona, but not so much. Thanks for checking out my blog.
I am only completely jealous of you living in Barca… 😉 I was there again last September (when it was already cold in the Netherlands) and spend a couple of gorgeous days basking in the sun – having dinner outside is just amazing. I like how these southern cities still buzz, even late at night. So much more alive… 🙂
I remember my first fall and winter outside Australia. It was quite startling! It wasn’t till the first snowfall and frozen sludge sidewalks that I got completely discombobulated – it felt as though the soles of my shoes had holes, my feet were so frozen! Imagine, first Salzburg, the next winter in London, then Canada! I learned a thing or two. If you keep your extremities warm – new, site specific shoes, gloves and hat (plus scarf, when it’s really cold and it hurts to breath) and it’s easy to beat the cold … and fun too!
simply beautiful photos of my favorite season. Unfortunately, I now live in Los Angeles where the only season is summer. I miss the fall patterns and texture. But, maybe I shouldn’t complain too much…?
Thanks very much. Fall weather is definitely nice, though I quite like having summer all year round, having grown up near Los Angeles!