Seasons: Autumn in L.A.

Snow does not a winter make.

If I had a nickel for every person who flippantly remarks how Los Angeles doesn't have any seasons...

This year is odd however. it was 80 degrees on Friday & it's November... and most of October was averaging in the 80s with a couple of days getting up in the 100's.

I have a low tolerance for cold - and right now i'm freezing!

Seasons do change in L.A.
they are subtle.
if you really take a look, and can appreciate these subtle changes - you will be rewarded.

Autumn
The air gets drier.
Santa Ana winds can kick up. (origin - Santana or "Devil wind" since it blows hot & comes from the northern deserts, not from Santa Ana in Orange County - and it has nothing to do with that Texan General either).
Brush fires are prevalent due to the dry brush after the long hot arid summer.
Santa Ana winds can make these fires whip out of control.

on a side note:
These fires are necessary for the Chaparral to regenerate - the seeds need the heat of the fire to open. It's part of the ecology of Southern California - the fires are cyclical - about every 10 years. What's made them devastating in recent years ----> non-native vegetation! Go ahead - plant eucalyptus trees because they grow quickly and smell nice. Their oils also burn HOTTER - and their fires are harder to put out! Also, the sprawl of the suburbs have moved people into the path of the fires - so what would have once been a wildfire in the far off mountains have become Super-Fires in people's backyards.

The Autumn light is also more golden since the sun rises & sets at more of an angle - giving us more dramatic sunsets full of gold & orange, pinks & purples... just gorgeous! and the colors of the buildings at sunset: a white wall turns to honey gold, or rosy pink.

As I sit here typing - wearing a second pair of socks & a hoodie (i don't want to turn on the heater yet) there's a sharp bite in the air. Today's sky was so dramatic! it was warm in the sun - but menacing clouds would pass by every now and again making it chilly. at sunset there was a cold wind that forced me inside.

True, we don't have those trees that turn colors as seen in postcards and the like... but the Plumeria are now in bloom... no - not native, but they have been planted everywhere.

If you see a tree with Plumeria - get close and take a deep breath - they are intoxicatingly fragrant!


Japanese Anemone is also in bloom now. Both the Plumeria & Anemone are found in various spots throughout the city - as Japanese gardening was all the rage & very much in vogue during the mid-20th century.


The Meyer Lemon trees are full of green fruit that will soon ripen into my favorite honey golden lemons. Pomegranates are plentiful, as are persimmons.

As you can see by my shopping at the markets - there's a definite change in what's available locally. I'm shopping as macrobiotically as i can. 90% of my groceries come from farmer's markets - hence I'm getting locally grown fruits & veggies that don't lose their vitality/vitamins during shipping & transit. Well, I'm having fun with it. I almost overdosed on heirloom tomatoes - but that has passed

Days keep getting shorter - nights are getting longer. rain? who knows - our "rainy" season isn't until february... but it is starting to get chilly... and what's chilly for me is anything under 65. brrrr. i'm getting cold just thinking about how it's getting colder.