Pam Webb

a writer's journey as a reader

Archive for the category “fall”

22 Sep 2026
8 Comments

Falling into Autumn


What? Today is the equinox? Difficult to believe since I spent yesterday hanging out in the backyard basking in 76 degrees. Then again, the front yard is depositing its first layer of leaves and the burning bush is glowing red. Yes, fall has arrived once again.

Fall in my region is a dichotomy of indecision. Mornings require a quick warmup with the heater and a spritz of air conditioner by noon. By evening the decision to have the fuzzy blanket nearby is made since nights plunge down to the forties.

Cold, hot, cold run the days until early October then its preparation for winter, which runs cold all the time.

Today, though, I will celebrate the last bits of summer with a nod to fall by sharing Emily Dickinson’s “Autumn.”

Autumn
The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry’s cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I’ll put a trinket on.

Instead of a trinket I will lounge out back in the hammock with another book.

Happy fall!

Posted in celebrations, fall, humor, Literature, poems, reflections and tagged , , , , ,
26 Nov 2025
8 Comments

Bard Bits: ‘Tis Time of Thanks


Of course there are no Thanksgiving scenes in any of Shakespeare’s works since that holiday was not on his creative road map. However, he did have several worthwhile lines about giving thanks. Feel free to share as you gather round your table on Thursday.

  • “O Lord that lends me life, lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!” — 2 Henry VI
  • “Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.” — The Winter’s Tale
  • “Thanks, sir, all the rest is mute.” — All’s Well That Ends Well
  • “For this relief much thanks.” — Measure for Measure
  • “You great benefactors, sprinkle our society with thankfulness.” — Timon of Athens
  • “Thanks to men. Of noble minds, is honorable meed.” — Troilus and Cressida
  • “For your own gifts, make yourselves praised.” — Timon of Athens
  • “Only I have left to say, More is thy due than more than all can pay.” — Cymbeline 

As for my favorite thanks quote I offer up:

“I can no other answer make but thanks, and thanks, and ever thanks.” — Twelfth Night

Posted in Americans, celebrations, creativity, fall, reflections, Shakespeare and tagged , , ,
14 Nov 2025
9 Comments

Word Nerds: It’s About Time


tick tock once again changed the clock

I’m almost adjusted to the annual switcheroo, although that shock and surprise of darkness descending at 4:30 pm and waking up at 6 am and thinking it must be the middle of the night because it is so depressingly dark never has become something I’ve grown used to over my lifetime of turning the clocks back one hour in the fall.

Whew-a paragraph of quiet rant. Thank you for allowing that. I do feel better.

With time on my mind, I thought I would dedicate this month’s Word Nerd post to words that reflect time. Ready?

At least one full page!

How are you coping with the time change. You are excused if you are from Hawaii or Arizona.

Posted in America, fall, humor, reflections, Seasons and tagged , , ,
29 Aug 2025
8 Comments

Back to School Blues (not for me, maybe for you)


If you are reading this post you fall into one of the falling categories:

  • Parent of school age children
  • Student
  • Teacher
  • None of the above
Photo by RDNE Stock project on Pexels.com

If you identify with parent of school age children, then I commiserate with you for the back-to-school shopping marathon. Well, yes, it is exciting getting the kiddos ready for another (or their first) foray into the classroom routine. But it is tiring and expensive.

If you are a student, you are either bummed or excited, or perhaps a bit of both, since it means put a pause on summer fun in order to focus on the mojo needed to get into the school routine.

As a teacher, you are no doubt either already back in the classroom (depending on where you teach) or bum-weary from having to sit through endless admin-led meetings while you would rather be preparing your room.

None of the above? You are probably then retired or an empty-nester or perhaps neither a parent or teacher, although you vaguely remember your September back-to-school days.

This marks my fourth September I will not be returning as a teacher, yet I found myself back on campus anyway. My retirement days are centered around books: I’m either reading them, writing them, or doing something with them that is library related. Today I dropped off a box of donated of books to a couple of schools, one of which was where I formerly taught English.

Yes, it was strange.

No, I didn’t miss it.

Yes, I briefly said “howdy” to some former compadres. And yes, I delivered my usual line of “I highly recommend it!” when asked how I like being retired.

Okay, fine–I do miss some aspects of being a teacher, such as getting to know my students, watching them catch the spark of appreciating literature, lunch time sessions with teacher chums, and staff meetings (just kidding on that one).

So, here is hoping your back-to-school blues aren’t severe, and hoping the school year is fabulous, whether you are in a school desk, behind the teacher’s desk, or planning a cruise since everyone else is back in school.

Photo by Diana u2728 on Pexels.com
Posted in America, education, fall, Family, Reading and tagged , , , , , , , ,
10 Nov 2023
2 Comments

My Not So Big Year: Zamboni Weather


November weather is doing it’s usual thing of a stretch of rainy days followed by freezy nights and shivery days.

The birds and squirrels are coming in thick and fast stocking up before the snow flies. We keep the feeders going year round but having second thoughts about the birdbath. The birds appreciate the solar fountain, yet that was stored away due to lack of solar power. The best it could muster was an anemic dribble effect.

The birds still gather for a quick sip. No baths lately. One reason is because the water is freezing up. I have taken up the chore of pouring warm water in the birdbaths to loosen up the ice. The fun part is the monocle I pull out.

Backyard Science

I think of Woodstock running his Zamboni on his birdbath ice rink. And I did watch a starling skate around on the ice before I managed to do my defrosting chore. It was one puzzled bird.

credit: Pioneer Press
Posted in birds, fall, humor, Nature, reflections, Seasons and tagged , , ,
26 Oct 2023
3 Comments

Oh no, that four letter word s**w


There is an unspoken rule that winter is not allowed to happen while autumn is still working on dropping leaves. And winter should hold off until November, preferably until after Thanksgiving. December is acceptable.

We all know winter doesn’t play by the rules.

Waking up to this while it’s still October set back my cheery outlook:

Insult to injury were the winds of 14+ mph all through the day. A few birds attempted to visit the feeder, like this persevering mourning dove.

Not being a winter fan (I don’t ski, walking is curtailed, and hammocking is postponed) snow is definitely a four-letter word in my realm.

Trying to recoup the day I tried to find some positives. A cozy fire was made, a cup of cocoa while I edited a manuscript, fave Pandora station in the background, a new jigsaw puzzle, and a stack of books from the library. Oh, leaf raking is on hold and the yard looks tidier with the leaves hidden by that fresh snow topping.

Okay, not so bad after all, especially since it all melted by 1 pm.

I can’t fight winter🥶

I can find ways of coping, and this winter preview made me realize that snow doesn’t have to ruin my outlook. Keep the cocoa coming and always have a few books on the ready and it will be April before I know it.

Posted in fall, humor, language, Nature, reflections, Seasons, winter and tagged , , ,
10 Nov 2021
3 Comments

Word Nerd: November


Photo by Askar Abayev on Pexels.com

Thanksgiving comes around in November and getting together with friends and family can be emotional for some. Needing a few choice words to express feelings might be handy.

verklempt: overly emotional and unable to speak.

velleity: a mere wish, unaccompanied by an effort to obtain it.

stultify: to render absurdly or wholly futile or ineffectual, especially by degrading or frustrating means

thrawn: contrary; peevish; stubborn

longanimity: patient endurance of hardship, injuries, or offense; forbearance

foofaraw: a great fuss or disturbance about something very insignificant

megillah: a lengthy, detailed explanation or account

brabble: to argue stubbornly about trifles; wrangle

fustigate: to criticize harshly; castigate

gasconade: extravagant boasting; boastful talk

nescience: lack of knowledge; ignorance

frumious: very angry

snollygoster: a clever, unscrupulous person

beamish: bright, cheerful, and optimistic

Let’s hope if someone should start a megillah at the table no one will fustigate or brabble should it lead to gasconade. Instead, the gathering be one that is beamish.

UPDATE: Read about a picture book that features delightful words here: https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2021/11/14/book-giveaway-hornswoggled-a-wacky-words-whodunit-by-josh-crute/

Posted in blogs, education, everyday expressions, fall, Family, holidays, humor, reflections, word inventing, Words and tagged , , ,
28 Oct 2021
12 Comments

It’s the Great Pumpkin


While not a fan of Halloween, I am a fan of pumpkin. While not a fan how pumpkin spice seems to rule the season, I am a fan of guinea pigs. So here is a share that should please those who love pumpkin spice and adore guinea pigs. Let’s see how long it takes for Mike Allegra to say he inspired this post.

Everything goes better with guinea pigs
Posted in Animals, fall, humor, opinion, reflections, Uncategorized and tagged , , ,
11 Oct 2021

Word Nerd: October


October is noticing the changes in nature. Have you noticed any of these?

paraselene: a bright moonlike spot on a lunar halo; a mock moon

gloaming: twilight; dusk

cordate: heart-shaped

brumal: wintry

matutinal: pertaining to or occurring in the morning; early in the day

procellous: stormy, as the sea

plashy: marshy; wet

lucida: the brightest star in a constellation

Photo by u4e00 u5f90 on Pexels.com
Posted in fall, language, reflections, Words and tagged , | Leave a comment
27 Sep 2021
3 Comments

It’s a bit squirrelly lately…


Not sure if we have adopted a squirrel or if she has adopted us.

It began with me spotting a medium grey squirrel bounding across the lawn. A somewhat unusual sight. Deer are more frequent visitors. Squirrel activity diminished with dogs moving into the neighborhood.

Or so we thought.

Upon spotting the bounding squirrel I mustered up my squirrel call. You know the one, that high-pitched ch-ch-ch the do. Yeah. She was impressed and came leaping right over to me. She look fairly surprised to find me instead of a swaggering grey suited critter of interest.

Since then she has shown little fear of hanging out in the yard with us. Costco is making a tidy profit from the bags of peanuts the hubs buys for her.

She will cautiously approach us and grab a peanut from our fingers. Rolling and measuring its worth in her mouth she will then deposit it in some part of the yard. Digging like a little terrier she pats it in place with dainty satisfaction and traipses over for more. I split them open because once open she tastes that peanuttyness and snacks right on the spot, inches from where I sit on the bench. Syringa, does truly work for peanuts.

Now we have a couple of new additions. A tiny sable squirrel who discovered the neighbor’s squirrel proof bird feeder could not deter him. He used our fence as a diner freeway until trashing the bird feeder in less than two weeks. He has moved on the freebie peanuts laid out for Syringa. She’s having none of it.

Their tussles and chitterings range across the lawn and through the lily leaves. Entertaining turf wars at its best. We call this little guy Skitter, since he moves as fast as a drop of water on the pancake skillet. He’s too fast to snap a photo.

And a third squirrel has appeared. Yet, this one is a puzzlement. I notice it is small with characteristic squirrel gray coloring yet its eye rings are white like a chipmunk and so is its tummy. The legs are brownish. A hybrid squirrel? We’ve dubbed this one Buddy, as in “Hey, Buddy—what are you?”

The birds are beginning to vacate the area for warmer climates so there is less action at the feeder. On the other hand, the colder weather is ramping up squirrel activity as they gather nuts and bury them all over the yard. I find peanuts in my plant containers, in flower beds, and all over the lawn. How will they find them all?

Syringa will come over and spread out on the concrete like a dog when we are hanging out back. Classic splooting stance.
Buddy infiltrating Syringa’s snack tray. Strange markings for a squirrel, wouldn’t you say?
Posted in Animals, fall, humor, Nature, reflections, Seasons and tagged , , ,

Post Navigation

← Older Entries