The Real Way to Distinguish the Changing Seasons

I was born in Texas, but I’ve heard that there are four seasons each year. Apparently, right now we’re in winter although Texas winter appears remarkably similar to Kentucky spring and Wisconsin summer. 

Anyway, there are changes in nature that cue you to the changes of the season. Some climates have clearer signs of these changes, but even in “two-season Central Texas” there are ways to detect the change of a season. 

Just in case you don’t believe me, some quick examples: bluebonnets in spring, continuously running AC in the summer, Longhorn football in the fall, and a lack of mosquitoes in the winter. 

However, for me there is a much faster and easier way to tell what season we’re in. All I have to do is check out what clothes the boys are not wearing. 

Stocking caps, gloves, and puffy jackets litter the hallway and the corner next to the back door. As soon as I see this I know we had our first 45 degree “winter” day. As usual, the boys go overboard in excitement of the cool weather and overdress, overheat, and then litter the house with warm clothing. 

Spring weather means Crocs. And I don’t mean the kind that bite. The rubber footwear of the young and of the shameless pile up at our house like electric scooters on the downtown sidewalk of a hipster populated city (*cough* Austin). 

Also, because the mornings start out a little cool before the sun steams everything, long sleeve shirts hanging off the back of chairs at the kitchen table are a sure sign spring has sprung. The boys molt out of long sleeved shirts like snakes shed skin. 

I know, you think you’ve got this. You’re like, oh so you see wet swim suits strewn about and you know it must be summer, right? Wrong! While the boys do in fact have swimsuits, for some reason backyard play in the hose or kiddie pool does not necessitate the use of swimwear for these kids. 

The sign of summer is tiny pairs of wet underwear piled up. The boys strip to their underwear to play in the water, get soaked, and then go au natural with an untidy pile of undies to demarcate the change. I guess, in our house, glowing white “moon” flashes are the real signal of summer weather. 

If we get a fall, it’s indicated by similar signs to spring except the floor in the boys' rooms will be covered in shorts and t-shirts (even more than usual) as they dump out all their clothes in the furtive search for hoodies and sweatshirts after a front moves in. 

So forget about meteorologists, the National Weather Service, or almanacs. If you want to know the weather, just look for the missing clothing. And remember, if you see five moons in the broad daylight it’s not an astrological phenomenon, it’s just summer at my house.