Arizona, Photography, Wisconsin

I Changed my Mind

by Ingrid

I grew up in America’s Midwest surrounded by lush vegetation and always enjoyed autumn, but that also meant winter was on its way and that I did not relish. Nope, this gal is not a fan of snow and cold.

In the northern midwest, sometime in September, the crisp cool air would roll in and the leaves on the trees would start changing. Let’s face it, it’s just a matter of time before the seasons change, and as much as we’d like Mother Nature to work on our schedule, she’s in charge of the time.

Ah, but who can resist a forest filled with vibrant colored leaves or the smells of pumpkin spice and the taste of all things apple? Not I !

However, the fall season never lasts long enough. The trees shed their colorful beauty way too quickly and the skies remain a gloomy gray for weeks on end. And as much as I loved autumn in the Midwest, spring was a time of year to look forward to.

I’ve always felt spring symbolizes growth, new life, and a sense of energy. Plus, it meant summer was on its way, So, spring was always my favorite time of year …. until recently.

Travel is the best! We get to time the seasons.

Traveling full-time in our RV meant we got to enjoy all four seasons on our terms. We could migrate like birds. We could stay in the north until the first frost then head south for the winter, and in the spring, we could do the same only in reverse, head north to escape the southern summer heat.

That all changed when we sold our RV and bought a house in the desert southwest.

There’s no more migrating for these two old birds. Since selling the RV, we don’t travel frequently like we used to. We live a much more stationary life these days.

This summer has produced record-high temperatures in Arizona without much of a reprieve from the extreme heat making me not look forward to future summers.

At least my husband and I were able to get away a couple of times for a visit to Colorado to enjoy a change of scenery and weather. These days, I’ll take whatever travel I can get.

Let’s hope our temperatures drop soon and fall is just around the corner 🤞 Fingers crossed! Fall, winter, and even spring are absolutely a joy to hang around the deserts of Arizona, So not only do I look forward to fall, I look forward to winter. Thus, I’ve changed my mind regarding the seasons.

Fall has replaced spring as my new favorite time of year.

What’s your favorite season?

For this week’s Sunday Stills photo challenge, Terri asks us to showcase colors of orange and gold. Click the link to check out her post and what others are sharing.

And for Lens-Artists Challenge #266, Donna’s photo challenge prompt is “Time”. Be sure and visit her site for a fun take on “Time”.

116 thoughts on “I Changed my Mind”

  3. My favorite season by far is fall. I am not sure if it is because I was born in October or not, but I love the crisp air, autumn breeze, fall leaves, sweaters, and hot drinks. I also, however, can’t stand winter. This is why my husband and I are embarking on a journey to sell our home and purchase an RV to travel whenever, and wherever we would like.

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  4. Living in Florida now, we really don’t see much change in seasons. When we lived in New England, I looked forward to them all. Bring when our orchard was in bloom was beautiful and I loved fall with all the colors and crisp, cool weather.

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    1. I’m sure New England is gorgeous in the fall similar to the upper Midwest. Those stunning colors never lasted long enough and winter would be upon us way too soon. There’s a trade off for us when we decide to give up those bitter cold winters for the warmth of the south … I’ll take it 😁 I do not miss ice and snow.

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  8. Ingrid I am very impressed , inspired by these amazing pictures in this blog and also blown away by this fantastic blog.

    Also, to answer your question posed at the bottom of this blog post, my favorite season it is the summer and winter but mostly the summer because I get to witness the sun rays, fresh hot air and great lively atmosphere plus you get to do a lot in the summer such as visiting friends and family or attend events🎡🎢🛩 since the weather permits🌃🌅

    Lastly, I really love the images here especially the birds and the last one, that lake looks so beautiful. Plus, I agree the spring season means growth, new things, a fresh start as they usually say and an ideal season for travel enthusiasts such as yourself👏

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    1. Thank you stopping by and taking the time to post your thoughtful comment. I’ve always loved summers in the northern U.S. but summers in the south can be brutal and anything but fun. Thus, I think it’s all about location and what the seasons are like in various climates. 😊

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  10. Summer in VT was fantastic, green and lush, but it was way too short and fall meant winter was just around the corner. Love spending our winters where the snow (usually) doesn’t make an appearance. Summer in IL has been hot this year, good thing we don’t pay the electric bill here. Heading toward CO tomorrow, then on to TX for winter on the beach.

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    1. So, the summer gig is over for the season. I know your folks will miss you. Enjoy your time in Colorado. Hopefully, you’ll have some beautiful fall weather there. And I’m sure Dave is ready to hit the beach in TX for some fishing. Safe travels 😀

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  11. I love the change of seasons, each one bringing its own unique landscape. Fall is definitely my favourite, love the gorgeous colours, the smells and the crisp temps. Gorgeous captures as always Ingrid!

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    1. Oh, how I am looking forward to fall. Although, we don’t get the beautiful colors found in the north, we do get crisp air and spiced lattes…. I’ll take it. Always nice hearing from you, Lynn. 😊

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    1. Thank you, Kirstin. I was able to photograph that doc several times throughout our three-month stay and it was fun to see the landscape transform. I’m sure it’s beautiful in the winter, but I wasn’t going to stay long enough to find out. 😀

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  13. Ingrid,
    Thanks for taking us down memory lane with you–great pictures! Spring in our Tennessee hills is beautiful, but way too short. Our fall, however, lingers and the colors can be spectacular which makes it my favorite season. We arrived home just as the temperatures dropped into the mid-70’s and I couldn’t be more thankful. I was OVER the heat during our RV trip. Have a great week! Joe

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    1. Hi Joe, OMG 70’s sound heavenly. It’s still 101 today. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel with this heat. Since we’re not traveling, these photo prompts are giving me purpose to dig through the external hard drives and I’m having a great time doing so.
      Hopefully, you’ll share lots of images of autumn on your blog.

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  14. My one wish is to experience autumn in New England and capture a ton of pictures of the colorful landscape! I am glad that I get to see some of those colors here in Germany but the heart wants more 😀. And I am the same as you when it comes to seasons – not adaptable to too much heat nor too much cold!

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    1. I too have never visited New England in the fall. However, I do believe the northern Midwest rivals the autumn beauty found in the northeast and it is stunning. In the west, we tend to have mostly yellow with some orange but very little reds. I’m not complaining. I’ll take whatever fall color I can get.🍁🍂🍁

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  15. Ingrid this is such a lovely, well-written post and every paragraph had me reflecting. I’m from hot, humid, perpetually 33-degree-Singapore, so I love love love the cold and I always look forward to our winter holidays. My hubby on the other hand dislikes winter and snow and the cold generally. I can imagine your change of heart. 🙂 Your pictures are so beautiful especially the first and last ones. 🙂

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    1. Today it was 43 degree C here in Phoenix AZ with less than 10 percent humidity, but hot is hot. 😁 Thank goodness for air conditioning.. Thank you for the lovely comment.

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  16. If ever I get “stuck” for a blog post, I’m going to borrow one of your assignment ideas! It was funny, wasn’t it, that while traveling, we could all make the seasons obsolete and always be in our favorite. Spring used to be my favorite, too, until we moved to the peninsula, where it’s now summer — which is a lot like spring in the rest of the country, so it’s kind of the same favorite LOL!

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    1. Haha, there’s no perfect place to settle and I’m glad you found “your spot” in WA. Since I don’t have any travel tales to share, the photo prompts provide an excuse to either take the camera out and about or go through my external hard drives taking me down memory lane. Either is a win. Hope you enjoy your autumn in the PNW.

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  17. As much as I dislike winter, I’ve always been a fan of fall. The crisp air, the bright blue skies, the beautiful colors, and pumpkin spice everything! Plus, if the weather regresses in Fall, it gets warm. If it regresses in Spring, it gets cold again. So, I’ll take Fall any day.

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  19. A glorious post, Ingrid. I think with age I’ve started to appreciate Autumn more than I did before, but Spring is still my favourite season, rebirth and all that. Your landscape photography is second to none, a lot of artistry and feel to the way you compose your photos.

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    1. Awe, thank you for the kind comment. I think it’s all about a given location and the weather. Living in the desert southwest, I do tend to miss Spring’s lush floral landscapes found in the north. Fortunately, we do have a unique showing of wildflowers which I look forward to photographing every spring.

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  20. Hello dear friend! I always fall in love with your pictures. I can sit curled up on my couch and view them all day long! Every single image is gorgeous, and that duck is priceless!
    I have a love-hate relationship with Fall. I love the colors that it produces here in Pennsylvania. I love the cooler temperatures it brings (except it’s hot here again.)
    But… (you knew there was a but coming) when fall arrives, that means summer is ending. Our summers here at the lake are full of lake life. And the gardens here always make me smile. However, I can’t stand the cold and snow, so I welcome our migration back to AZ soon.
    Thanks for a lovely post, my friend. Enjoy your time with our blogging buddies… I’ll join you all when we return.

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    1. Fortunately, you’re living the best of both worlds which is exactly what we did while traveling in the RV.
      Life is all about chapters. I do have days where I miss our RV life, but today was my day watching my granddaughter and I wouldn’t trade my special time with her.💗
      You’ll be missed at the blogger get together, but I’m sure we’ll schedule another one once you return to the valley. In the meantime, take an extra boat ride for me.😃 and capture photos of those fall colors.

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    1. It has been strange weather around the world. I just watched a YouTube video where the island of Tonga was experiencing record low cold temps. Crazy! I’m sure you’re glad to be back home.

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    1. All three of those images were taken near my sister-in-laws lake front home in northern WI. We spent 3 summers with her and loved it. Unfortunately, they sold but fortunately they moved here to AZ. We sure did love our visits there.

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  24. Fall is my favorite season too! As a kid I was partial to summer (of course, summers where I grew up were warm but not not) but now I much prefer the cooler temps and colorful leaves!

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    1. I always loved fall in Colorado and didn’t mind the winter when we were going to the mountains for recreation, but the winters in the Midwest were another ball game. 😊

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  25. A beautifully illustrated and thoughtful post. I do think our attitude to the seasons changes with time. I always used to say autumn (fall) was my favourite but while I still love it, these days I’m more drawn to spring. What is clear though is that I dislike temperature extremes, whether too hot or too cold! Enjoy your desert winter!

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    1. I too am not a fan of extreme temperature changes. Thus, I loved our RV lifestyle which allowed us to travel to our preferred weather choices. But, that was another chapter in life,. I have no regrets about moving to the desert southwest to be near family, but the hot weather does get old. Fortunately, cooler temps are on the way and hopefully accompanied by glimpses of fall.

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  26. Very creative to use the seasons as your approach to the TIME challenge Ingrid! Your images are beautiful, especially that amazing duck! Here in the south I love the hot summers but my husband, a Boston native, hates them. So we tend to travel in the summer as well but not so much this year. It’s become so crazy since covid stopped it and the restart has been lunacy! Here’s to the change of seasons which if nothing else keeps things interesting!

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    1. I totally agree regarding the lunacy. The pandemic changed so much and the craziness that followed was just one of several reasons why we sold the RV. I usually don’t mind the heat, but this summer has been a record breaker of extremes and it has gotten real old, but I’ll still take this over ice and snow.
      Here’s to cooler temps and a photo worthy autumn. 😊

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    1. I’ve jumped on your band wagon, Larry because it has definitely been a long hot summer around here. Hopefully, you still have a pontoon boat to enjoy time on the water.

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  29. Ingrid, as always, your photos are stunning! Like you I’ve always enjoyed the change of seasons. Although raised in the North American “4 seasons belt,” as James and I moved from place to place I finally learned to appreciate the subtle changes no matter where we were – even when we lived in the desert of Sudan. Enjoy your Fall. ~Terri

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    1. Thank you Terri. I still enjoy the change of seasons but prefer less extreme. and unfortunately, our summer this year has been extreme. Much more than I’d like.
      I’m sure your time in Sudan was eye opening. Adjusting and embracing new ‘normals’ is all part of the travel adventure.

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  30. Thank you for sharing. I love your photos and sure your post. My favourite season is autumn because autumn is also good weather and a lot colours well almost like spring season. 🙂

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  32. Great post Ingrid, beautiful photos as usual especially the goose or duck? We try and follow the 60 to 70 degree mark during the winter months which means monitoring the weather very closely (especially nowadays) as we motor south. Ultimately this forces us to the Southern tip of Baja in Jan and Feb…no problem 🙂 In 2025 we will head even farther south and travel into South America.

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    1. So nice to hear from you Tim. I enjoyed your tales from Baja last winter. Hope you had a great summer in Alaska. Sounds like you’re planning quite the adventure in 2025. Safe travels south!

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  33. I can certainly understand why you’ve changed your mind about your favorite season! So far, we’re enjoying all of the seasons in North Carolina…over the past couple of years, we’ve been here for fall, spring, and summer. We’ll see about winter, LOL.

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  34. Gorgeous fall/autumn shots, Ingrid, although not of that season in our part of Arizona. I realized shortly after moving here is that summer here is like winter elsewhere: the season people would like to avoid. Mt. Lemmon and north of Payson are my favorite places to find fall images that seem like fall to me…or just images anytime. 🙂 It seems wrong to me to put out the traditional Midwest fall/Thanksgiving decorations because we don’t really have them here. 🙂

    However, I, unlike you and so many others, enjoyed winter in the Midwest, where I lived almost my entire life except for several years in Steamboat Springs where winter is even “more.” I love hockey, ice skating, winter photography, the beauty of the newly fallen snow, etc. You can dress for winter by putting on more clothes but you can only take off so much in a Southwest summer without risking skin cancer. 🙂 Of course there are good points and bad points about everything. Just putting out that other POV.

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    1. Agree, it’s hard to get into the ‘fall’ spirit when it’s what a Midwesterner would think of as still summer weather.

      I never liked winters in the Midwest but did enjoy them when we moved to Colorado. Well, enjoyed those Rocky Mtn winters on my terms when we would visit the high country. Winters in the Rockies are stunningly beautiful and temps aren’t as bad as Chicago.

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        1. Some of the mountain towns actually have more robust summer tourism than winter. It wasn’t always like that. We used to spend Christmas and New Year north of Winter Park/south of Granby. Snowshoeing, tubing and snowmobiling were my forms of recreation, and of course, taking photos.

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  35. Ingrid, your images represent fall beautifully. I love the orange flowers. One thing we can all be certain of is that with time comes change. I can see why your favorite season has changed from spring to fall.

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    1. Although I love our fall weather, I have to seek out the fall foliage considering cacti never change color 🤣 It’s all good though and with the changing of time comes the changing of season.

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  37. I’m not sure, Ingrid, which season to prefer. Maybe it’s fall. Especially after a brutally hot summer like this year. Mary’s favourite season, btw, is winter.
    Whatever it is, we’ll have to make do with what we get, and to try and flee uncomfortable weather as often as we can.
    Take care,
    Pit

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    1. I did enjoy our winter excursions to the Rocky Mountains when our children were young. The landscape is stunningly beautiful, but at this stage in my life, I can handle the heat better than cold and ice. And I don’t even want to think of winter driving in the north 😯

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  38. Very beautiful photos, Ingrid! The duck is adorable. This summer has been much hotter than any I’ve seen in Las Vegas in my ten years here. I am looking forward to the cooler months ahead and the snow staying in the mountains! It’s been far too hot to ride my eBike too…

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    1. Thank you John. I know you’re as antsy as I am to be able to get back outside to walk or bike. The Phoenix landscape is suffering from this extreme heat with our beautiful saguaros falling over. We did not get the flooding that Vegas got.

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      1. Oh that’s terrible that the saguaro are dying! I’ve watched the grass die around Vegas this summer, what was once thick and green lawns are dried up and crunchy now. Yeah, we had some serious flooding up here, there is still plenty of rocks and sand on the roads around my area. It’s cloudy today with some scattered showers around the valley. I chanced a bike ride today and went home after seeing three rain shafts heading at me!

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        1. It’s overcast and windy today. So, I’m hoping for some rain. The problem with the saguaro and other cacti is the overnight temps. Cactus are filled with water and they need cool overnight temps for them to survive or the water stays too hot and they die from within. 🙁

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  40. Beautiful gallery, Ingrid and words that also resonate with me. I, too, love the travel…to the better seasons when we can. Your story is very similar to ours. Love your humor, your reality and, your adventurous spirit. I am glad you still get out of the heat a little bit. I was surprised it is still THAT hot. We arrived home yesterday. But the good thing is….we are in the pool in September! PS. That duck is adorable.

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    1. Welcome home! I’m hoping these are the last few days of this extreme heat. Are you back in town for awhile and able to join us on the 22nd?

      I’m hoping to get in some day trips this fall to photograph touches of autumn. A day of photo snapping at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum is something I hope to do. In years past, I’ve only driven by and would like to actually stop and visit.

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      1. Still not sure on the 22nd. The Arboretum has been on my list for quite awhile too. Autumn is supposed to be beautiful there. I need to look closer at my calender this week, before autumn passes by. We have a new grand baby due in October….

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        1. I’m sure we’ll schedule another get together once Nancy returns. Thus, one of these days, we’ll actually meet. Today was my day to watch my granddaughter and I cherish my time with her.

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  41. Fall, by far for all the reasons your photographs tell and hunting season of course! Seeing your photos makes me want to just go wander around the farm here and see what there is to take pictures of.

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    1. I would think a farm in ND would offer a lot of unique photo-ops and especially in the fall. And then of course there’s your own property in SD that offers its own beauty, but not the fall colors like WI. Unfortunately, Al didn’t pull a tag this season 🦌

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  42. As usual your photographs are stunning!

    It certainly has been a brutally hot summer for you in Phoenix. We have friends in Scottsdale who bought a small RV and go traveling in the summer to get out of it.

    Any plans to do something like that or just rent a place somewhere for a month next summer?

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    1. Thank you Brenda. At least we were able to fit in a couple of heat escapes to Grand Junction CO and were able to stay at my brother and SIL’s place.
      We are currently looking at truck campers and small trailers. I definitely miss having a home on wheels, but we probably won’t pull the trigger on anything for another 6 months or so. We have some minor health things to deal with first …. sigh!

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  44. Really beautiful images! Thank you! This Florida girl doesn’t like snow and ice either. Our summer was hotter than usual, but not as much as yours. I like all of our seasons for different reasons, but frankly “hurricane” season is my least favorite!

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    1. Oh, I can totally understand why hurricane season is your least favorite. I’m sure as those storms start forming in the Atlantic, you keep a watchful eye on conditions. Yes, it has been a rough summer and I’m hoping it doesn’t become the norm. 🤞

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    1. We too don’t witness much of a fall season here in Phoenix, but a mere hour and a half drive to two hours up the road (and up in elevation), we’re able to see the changing leaves. Certainly nothing like the Midwest, but I’ll take even a glimpse of golden leaves. 😀

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  46. Your images are a delight to the eyes, Ingrid! Truly spectacular! Those first two should be hanging in an art gallery! I also love me a good colorful Autumn, even knowing what’s coming. I actually love snowy winters–I guess it is still somewhat of a novelty, but Spokane winters are less snowy than the midwest and snow melts quickly unless we get record snowfall like last year. I am not a heat-seeker, so cool temps are needed to run my engine, LOL! I used to love Autumn in Sacramento which peaked by Veterans’ Day. But the winter gray brought on by weeks of cold fog was too much. At least here, we get some bright sunny days even with snow on the ground.

    I mentioned this in my comment back to you–check with Marsha or Jodie–I believe we meet up Thursday Sept 21 somewhere in Scottdale. Hope to see you!

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    1. Thank you Terri. I’ve been going through my external hard drives lately and it has been so much fun traveling down memory lane and viewing some of my images. I’m a member of our local camera club and have actually started printing some of my photos to hang on our walls.

      I have Friday the 22nd on my calendar for the meet-up. I may even bring Al this time if Hans, Vince and Rob are joining.

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  47. Every time I think of fall in Vermont, I am reminded of the cycles of nature, the gentle transition from the lively summer days to quieter, yet equally beautiful, moments that autumn brings. It’s a season that encourages reflection, gratitude, and a deeper connection with the environment and with each other.

    There’s just something so comforting about wrapping myself in a cozy scarf, with a warm pumpkin spice latte in hand, and meandering through the rustic paths lined with trees flaunting their crimson and gold foliage.

    Unfortunately, Fall eventually gives way to winter, and winter in Vermont is the one season I could do without. 🙂

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    1. So beautifully said and written. I love the thought of wrapping in a cozy scarf and meandering through leaves while sipping on a latte. But the thought of a Vermont winter stops me in my tracks. I’d be fine for a day or two for winter photo ops and then I’d be hightailing it back to AZ.😁
      The only landscape riveling autumn in the NE or Midwest is a lush spring.

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      1. The winters here in Vermont are sometimes a challenge for us. My wife and I own a John Deere 3 Series tractor and after the bad storms, I use the front loader bucket to shovel the driveway. Winter in Vermont is absolutely no joke. If you don’t like blowing snow that reminds you of the Doctor Zhivago movie, then perhaps Vermont in the wintertime isn’t for you. 🙂

        Also, do not visit Niagara Falls in the middle of winter. I have done this as well, and let’s just say that due to the mist of the falls, everything nearby has a nice inch-thick coating of ice which makes it impossible for any living creature to traverse, aside from a penguin. 🤣

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        1. Haha, the terrain looked pretty in Dr. Zhivago, but certainly NOT my cup of tea. We have friends who used to live in Vermont, and they do not miss those winters. No worries, I assure you I wont’ be visiting Niagara Falls in the winter since I have no penguin type of tendencies 🤣🐧🐧

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