A puff of warm air strokes my face, as I walk the ridge ten minutes from home soon after eight this morning.
There are mornings in August when I realise I should have left home fifteen minutes earlier to avoid the fast rising heat, but this is the penultimate day of September!
We’re closing the shutters again in the afternoon. It’s an “Indian Summer” everyone is saying–and there’s no end in sight. We’re grateful but a little perplexed.
The countryside has a pale arid beauty–fields are barren, the last crops lifted; trees are turning brown and losing their leaves.
I look up the expression “Indian Summer”.
“Indian”–it says–is a reference to native Americans and has nothing to do with the sub-continent.
That disabuses me–I had always assumed the other!
But is this–strictly speaking–an Indian summer?
Apparently there has to be a frost before you can call it such, which is why they usually occur in October or early November.
Anyway–in terms of weather, it is clearly a gift—to be enjoyed for as long as it lasts.
There is another–metaphorical–meaning of the phrase: a late blossoming, a rebirth, a renaissance and that can occur at any time of the year!
Robin Ellis 
Yes, the term overused in France (Indian summer) is quite incorrect according to the definition I’ve always heard growing up in New England… lovely warm weather after the first frost. Oh well. It’s wonderful by any definition.
in Italy the weather is funny, to gasps from the north to the south warm while it’s raining!! mah who said let’s enjoy the last moments of this long summer!!
Love annalisa
scusa per il pessimo inglese!!!!!!
Hello Robin,Yes better then all the leafs are brown and the skye is grey…Hopeful the weater stays a while, I like the hot climate.We also( here in Belgium )had a good month September, still here it cools off early about at 15 pm.Hoping the snow don’t come too soon I hate that here in Antwerp(too bad for the bones).
Vive la soleil, hugs, Chantal x
Fine weather here too! My colleague said the beautiful weather invites to a trip to the Alps rather than to spend the whole day at the office. True words ! We have Oktoberfest and usually they have luck with the weather. On Monday it’s over and I’m glad about that because it’s too crowded everywhere. This week one of the busiest of the year with Oktoberfest and Champions League against our English guests the team of Manchester City. I could enjoy the game live in stadium on Tuesday.
Like you, enjoyed a wonderful walk this morning. Looked over to my beautiful home town with the light glistening over the trent. Should wear a hat, but what the hell.Wherever & whenever beauty occur these moments raise the spirit. An hours walk becoes a moment of joy not to be missed as these are far too transient in this life. I wish you deep peace & good health. God bless & keep you safe . bev
Thanks Bev–keep walking!