Seasonal Variations

on October 13, 2010
in All Posts

There’s one tree in my neighborhood that I’m just waiting to illustrate signs of Fall.  It’s still so green and lush.  When this tree turns, I’ll know Fall is really here!

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I’ll admit, I am a little obsessed with the idea of experiencing seasons again.  I grew in Miami, so our seasons were hot, hotter, hottest, repeat.

Then, I moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for college and was horrified to see that it snowed everyday for like, 6 straight months.  Our seasons were perfect summer, horrible winter.  It was NOT my cup of tea (although I really love the city of Pittsburgh).  The doggies didn’t like it either.

Then, the Husband and I moved to Orlando, Florida.  Our seasons were suddenly hot, warm, cool, warm.  I got to wear long sleeved shirts on some training runs!  Very exciting.  :)  Also, side note: I really miss trail running in Central Florida.  🙁

And now we’re in Charlotte.  I’m hoping that we experience a happy medium here of four true seasons!  But minimal snow, please.  🙂

 

On to breakfast!

 

Pumpkin yogurt time!  With raw oatmeal, raspberries, and chia seeds.

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What are your seasons like?

{ 135 comments }

 

  • Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin October 13, 2010, 9:48 am

    I grew up in Connecticut so we had REAL seasons and I miss it so much! Warm/hot but dry summers, changing colors and cool falls, cold and snowy winters, and warm and sunny springs. I’m in DC now and there’s traces of real seasons but the summers are wayyy too humid for me, and too long!

  • Holly @ couchpotatoathlete October 13, 2010, 9:48 am

    In MN, the joke is that there are 2 seasons: “Winter and Road Construction” <—– say that in your best hillbilly voice 🙂

    But really, we have hot summers, PERFECT falls, freezing winters and pleasant/rainy springs.

    • Rebecca October 13, 2010, 10:16 am

      LOL! Yep! When I say that, I tend to kind of leave out the “t” in “winter” and put a lot of emphasis on “road.” 🙂

    • Paige (Running Around Normal) October 13, 2010, 1:00 pm

      Same here in Illinois!

    • Alyssa October 13, 2010, 1:19 pm

      The roads do look good when they’re done though 🙂 I think I would take road construction here in MN over winter, but then again maybe I should move 🙂

      • Angela (Oh She Glows) October 13, 2010, 4:10 pm

        haha In Canada (esp the maritimes) we often say we have 10 months of winter and 2 months of bad skiing weather. lmao

  • Charlie October 13, 2010, 9:49 am

    Winter in Quebec is long! I love winter in the country but in the city, winter is not nice white snow – it is horrible half melted brown snow (that we call slush :P).

  • April @ Crazy Fabulous Life October 13, 2010, 9:51 am

    Well, I live in North Carolina as well so you already know!

  • Lindsey October 13, 2010, 9:52 am

    The fall foliage should be coming to Charlotte soon. The leaves exploded with color up here in Asheville over the weekend and it’s GORGEOUS!

  • Amy October 13, 2010, 9:53 am

    High in the Adirondack Mountains, we have a beautiful fall, a lonnnnnnnnnnng cold and snowy winter, a few weeks of mud season, and then, if summer falls on a weekend, we have a cookout! 🙂

  • claire October 13, 2010, 9:57 am

    I love fall since I grew up mostly in NY (with a lil CA and MI time). In college I loved it in boston as well..and now in Detroit, it is alright but not as pretty as NYC or Boston…maybe in the suburbs but not in this city.

    I am sure it will be lovely in Charlotte!

  • Coco @ Opera Girl Cooks October 13, 2010, 9:57 am

    We don’t really have seasons in California, per se . . . it’s supposed to be 91F today in San Francisco! Ridiculous.

  • Jen @ Jen is Green October 13, 2010, 9:58 am

    Here in upstate NY the seasons are similar to pittsburgh. esp the part about winter!! my favorite is fall though, even though its so short, its beautiful here!!!

  • Amanda (Eating Up) October 13, 2010, 9:58 am

    Chicago sounds the same as Pittsburgh. St. Louis (where I grew up) had wonderful seasons!

  • Katie @ Healthy Heddleston October 13, 2010, 9:58 am

    I’m in Cleveland Ohio which has Lake Effect from Lake Erie. This means we sometimes get snow when no ones else is lol! I’ve seen snow from Oct-April living here.. and it’s not pleasant! LOL.

  • Amanda Davis October 13, 2010, 9:59 am

    I lived in Las Vegas for 4 years for undergrad so we had no season’s just different varieties of hot. However, now that I’m in Illinois we definitely get all four seasons and I’m really enjoying the crisp fall weather right now

  • Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat October 13, 2010, 10:00 am

    I am a summer girl through and through. I was born in Alberta (supa cold winters with lots of snow), spent 5 years living in the Middle East (oh so hot but oh so good now that I think about it!) and now live in Ontario where the summers can be hot but winters can be ridiculously cold and snowy. Ideally, I’d like it to be warm all year round!

  • Rachel October 13, 2010, 10:00 am

    Well, in England, we certainly get four seasons worth of weather, just not always at the right time. I think the word ‘changeable’ probably best describes it! So that includes snow in April, glorious sunshine in October and rain all ‘summer’, its nice to have variety though – just have to leave the house with an umbrella, hat, scarf and flip flops at all times! 😀

  • Lea @ Healthy Coconut October 13, 2010, 10:00 am

    I think the easiest job here in L.A. is a weather man. The weather doesn’t change much from sunny and clear and we don’t have seasons.

    Occasionally we’ll have rain and everyone panicks, but for the most part, you can count on it being sunny and clear 🙂

    • Natalie October 13, 2010, 10:52 am

      and smoggy, hot in the summer but not unbearable, cool in the winter and we certainly get storms but no snow 🙂

      Although I love the fall it is more of an idea than a truth in L.A. I pray for the crisp mornings and cool days. This week hasn’t been that 🙁

  • Julie @ Peanut Butter Fingers October 13, 2010, 10:00 am

    caitlin, what trail is that you were running on in orlando? it looks like a fun one & i’d love to check it out.

    • Caitlin October 13, 2010, 10:01 am

      in Moss Park. Megan could show you where it is. It’s kind of hidden. It’s about 11 miles long.

      • Julie @ Peanut Butter Fingers October 13, 2010, 10:08 am

        perfect! thank you. 🙂

      • Stephanie October 13, 2010, 10:10 am

        I was going to ask the same thing! I just moved down to Orlando from Michigan and miss trail running so much. Going to have to look into this one for sure…thanks for the tip!

  • diana October 13, 2010, 10:01 am

    haha i’m not a fan of winter! but when its snow and everything is white, its absolutely gorgeous!!

  • Rachel (Two Healthy Plates) October 13, 2010, 10:01 am

    I live in KY so we have similar weather to you. I wish I could move somewhere where it’s always fall – know any place?

    I can’t imagine living in Florida…the summers are too much for me!

  • lisasfoods October 13, 2010, 10:02 am

    I’ve always lived in New England and New York, so except for one autumn when I was studying abroad, I’ve always experienced a solid change of seasons. Unfortunately, where I live in MA now our autumn is nearly over. There’s a lot of trees-without-leaves time.

  • KatieTX October 13, 2010, 10:03 am

    Central Texas is like Florida but not as humid! I am from the South so I am used to the warmth! I do love fall! It has been in the 50s at night here and low 80s during the day, which feels perfect! I will be excited when it gets a little cooler and feels like the holidays 🙂

  • Sara October 13, 2010, 10:03 am

    I am in a similar situation as you. I went from Southern California – hot, warm, cool type weather- to Juneau, Ak – Rain year around with a couple months of snow thrown in and maybe a couple of warm days – and finally Coeur d’Alene, ID where I’m told there are 4 very distinct seasons. Can’t wait!

  • Kelly October 13, 2010, 10:04 am

    The leaves are really starting to turn up here in PA, you should be following soon behind!

  • Melanie October 13, 2010, 10:05 am

    Caitlin – totally unrelated to this post, but your breakfast pic reminded me that it would be great to see your grocery shopping list. Maybe you’ve already done a post on it in the past? If not, definitely something I’d like to see! 🙂

    Oh, and I bought a ton of pumpkin when I saw it, thinking it was going to be hard to find…only to hear that the pumpkin shortage is over. LoL Guess I’m set for a while, now!

    Happy Wednesday!

  • Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman October 13, 2010, 10:05 am

    I grew up in Massachusetts so ours were mild summer, gorgeous fall, killer winter, cold spring. Repeat.

    Now that I live in Virginia it’s this: Sweltering summer, warm fall, snow freakout all winter, rainy spring.

  • Jazz October 13, 2010, 10:06 am

    Winter in Ontario was great, lots of snow.. gets to -30 sometimes but you can tolerate it for 4 months. Winter here in Saskatchewan is 6 months of – a zillion… it is honestly -40 for about 2 or 3 weeks straight! We plug in our cars! I don’t know why people (including myself) live here!

  • Christine October 13, 2010, 10:06 am

    Charlotte sounds great, weather wise.

    We have all the seasons here in New Jersey, but it is a little upsetting when you realize that the trees don’t have leaves for 1/2 the year. Its funny that as a kid we always draw trees with leaves……

  • Camille October 13, 2010, 10:07 am

    I grew up in Southern California where the only seasons are Spring and Summer and I hated it there. When I was applying to colleges my Freshman year, my main goal was to go somewhere that actually got cold. I ended up getting in to the University of San Francisco and lived up there for a year. It was definitely cold, but not in a “seasonal” way. It was just sort of chilly all the time.
    Now I live in Oregon and I am experiencing my first true cold weather and I love it!

  • mindy @ just a one girl revolution. October 13, 2010, 10:07 am

    I’m in Michigan, so I can relate to the Penn. seasons. The joke around here is we have two seasons: winter and construction because all the roads are always under some kind of construction during the warm months.

    • Nikky October 13, 2010, 4:52 pm

      I’m in Michigan too (a bit west of Detroit), and I’m pretty sure my entire CITY has been under road construction since June.

      My company gets a lot of customers around the country, and it seems most of them are under the impression that Michigan is “Northern Arctic Tundra” when they call. Last time it was 80 outside, a guy asked about the weather and responded with, “Really? No way!” like I’d just told him it was raining bunnies.

  • Angela October 13, 2010, 10:08 am

    Your breakfast looks so pretty!

    I went to Penn State so I know exactly what you are talking about with the winters in central – upstate PA. Misery.

    NYC is surprisingly better. We get a pretty hot summer, a mild fall, brutal winter, mild spring. Fall is by far the best season here.

  • Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday October 13, 2010, 10:10 am

    Most of the trees here in S. Ontario have begun turning but we haven’t reached peak colours yet.

    It’s about 10 degrees here now so it’s still quite nice.

  • Jessica @ The Process of Healing October 13, 2010, 10:11 am

    I live in Spartanburg so our seasons are pretty much the same as charlotte. HOT muggy summer, warm fall, and then only really really cold for a couple of months in the winter (dec-feb) and RARE snow. Perfect spring though. The weather here is so random.. I remember it being in the 80’s a couple of years ago in December!

    • Vikki October 13, 2010, 2:09 pm

      Yep…Shorts on Christmas day. I also live in SC. Summers are hot, fall is warm and short, winters are mild, and spring is gorgeous.

  • Tabitha (From Single to Married) October 13, 2010, 10:15 am

    I live in Northern Virginia and we typically have four seasons which I LOVE!

  • Melissa October 13, 2010, 10:17 am

    Hot and humid most of the time, but we do get an occasional light snowfall in the winters here in southern Louisiana. Your breakfast is colorful. Makes it so much more fun to eat it when there is color.

  • Gracie (complicated day) October 13, 2010, 10:18 am

    In New Orleans we have four seasons – hot, humid, rainy, and hurricane – but they can roll around in any order.

  • MaryBe October 13, 2010, 10:18 am

    I live near Buffalo NY so yes one day of summer and then winter LOL! Actually I love the change of seasons, and what they signify. Fall=Halloween and Thanksgiving, Winter=Christmas etc. I am lucky that I don’t work, so when it snows I can just stay home – love watching the snow fall!

  • amanda @ Hungry Vegan Traveler October 13, 2010, 10:19 am

    I was born in Connecticut, but moved to Florida early enough (age 11) that I totally forgot about all the blizzards and snow days. After 10 years in southwest Florida (right on the gulf), I ended up in MISSOURI. Holy crap! The winters out here are NO JOKE. Ice storms, snow storms, being snowed in several times a winter, losing power… It’s been 5 years now and I’m getting ready to return to Florida. I’ve had enough!

  • Megan @ The Oatmeal Diaries October 13, 2010, 10:20 am

    I’ve lived in both Pittsburgh and Charlotte too! Definitely prefer Charlotte weather 🙂

  • Manon October 13, 2010, 10:20 am

    I never realized how much I missed seasons until I moved from Iowa (where I grew up) to Austin, TX. I loooooooooved all things Austin, except the lack of seasons….I actually get depressed over it and used to cry when I came home in fall or winter to colorful leaves, cool temps, and yes….I even missed snow 🙂 I ended up moving back to Iowa and love it here–although I don’t quite have the fondness for winter and snow that I once had 🙂

  • Jess @ NZ Girl Runs October 13, 2010, 10:23 am

    I’d say we have 4 seasons, but it doesn’t matter what time of the year it is. For example on christmas day it usually rains, in the middle of our summer. And then in the middle of July I’ll wear a tshirt, in the middle of winter! So 4 seasons, but they just come and go as they please. You learn to be well prepared in Auckland, I always take a jacket with me, even in summer, coz ya never know!

  • Stephanie October 13, 2010, 10:24 am

    I live in central VA so we pretty much have the 4 seasons with not too much bad wintery weather (well except last year!) I think we have the perfect mix of weather here honestly, I love it!

  • Jessica October 13, 2010, 10:25 am

    I just moved to MT. The summer was so nice- warm but not hot. Right now its really nice- just a bit cool. I am scared for winter though. :/

  • Lizz (leadingthegoodlife) October 13, 2010, 10:26 am

    We get a solid 4 seasons here in the Midwest (Nebraska) and I LOVE it!! Hot in the Summer, snowy in the Winter, and beautiful Fall & Spring. There is always something to enjoy and as soon as you think you’re sick of it, the next season is just around the corner for you to look forward to. 🙂

  • Reenie October 13, 2010, 10:29 am

    Kansas here……so we get all 4 seasons!! Woot!!!

  • Sarah for Real October 13, 2010, 10:29 am

    Generally we get 4 seasons, some snow in the winter but nothing unbearable. I love the seasons in Spokane!!! Though they are predicting a winter of heavy snow this year. I’m scurrrred…

  • Kjirsten- Balanced Healthy Life October 13, 2010, 10:32 am

    I live in Prescott, Arizona and we get 4 mild seasons. Fall is usually in the high 60s and mid to low 70s, winter doesn’t usually get colder then mid 50s, spring is back in the 70s and summer is always 80-90s. It really is the perfect 4 seasons.

  • Sarah October 13, 2010, 10:34 am

    i have lived in the chicago area my whole life (minus college – central illinois which is essentially the same weather). we get all four seasons but o man do we get winter. it always seems like it lasts forever because it doesn’t ever really get nice for good until mid april usually. and then we get the lovely humidity in the summer:). at least fall is beautiful here!

  • Anna October 13, 2010, 10:34 am

    The extreme seasons are kind of exactly why I love living in Massachusetts. It’ll reach 90-something in the summer, but only for about a week or so. And once a winter we’ll get a really intense blizzard. Summer in DC is TOO hot, humid, and long for my taste though!

  • krista October 13, 2010, 10:37 am

    I’ve only lived in Texas and I can’t even handle the cold winter temps here! Others would probably laugh at our ‘winter’ but it’s miserable when it’s below 50 degrees to me. I LOVE the summer heat, although right now with the cooler 60-80 degree weather it feels downright perfect.

    It snowed twice last year and although it was neat for my 2 year old (and hilarious that schools shut down) I was over it within an hour when I had to scrape the crap off my car and attempt to drive in it. My hands were numb and I had no desire to stand out in that cold! Yep, a pure pansy here. 🙂

    • krista October 13, 2010, 10:39 am

      Oh and I LOVE the Florida pandhandle summer weather! Not quite as hot as Texas but more humid. I loved being soaked after a morning run, then getting to lay out on the beach without having to jump into the water because of intense heat.

  • Natalia - a side of simple October 13, 2010, 10:39 am

    Your yogurt bowls always look SO tasty! Fall is my favorite season but I really like how NY gets to experience the four seasons. It keeps things interesting!

  • Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) October 13, 2010, 10:41 am

    Freakin’ HOT, cool, cold, warm, repeat. I love fall in Atlanta and winter is pretty mild until ya get to February, but summer is miserable! Our tree out front is the first to be completely red and it is beautiful. Unfortunately, the trees are changing way too fast since the rain has been a little less than great here this summer. I am ready for it to feel like fall though. Hopefully soon!

  • Ella October 13, 2010, 10:42 am

    I’m from New England..So year by year its pretty unpredictable.
    I grew up in Boston and I go to school in Southern Connecticut, all of the seasons are pretty nice here. I love the begining of Winter and Summer, but twords February its just way too snowy and cold and by August I’m sick of the humidity. And the falls and springs are gorgeous here (:

  • Stacey October 13, 2010, 10:43 am

    You are about to experience what my seasons are like! haha 🙂 I don’t think you’ll be dissapointed. The trees in Charlotte are beautiful when they turn color, especially along East Blvd 😀 You will feel like you are in a Fall Wonderland lol

  • Cindy October 13, 2010, 10:45 am

    I’m a native Central Florida girl. The picture of you in Florida on the trail warms my heart 🙂 Where was this taken? I would love to run in that! P.S. So glad you get to experience all seasons without the super harsh conditions!

    • Caitlin October 13, 2010, 10:50 am

      In Moss Park – love that park!

  • Nicole of Raspberry Stethoscope October 13, 2010, 10:51 am

    I’m in St. Pete, Fl, so it’s mostly like how you described Orlando. I grew up in Massachusetts, but moved here at the age of 9 (I’m 25 now). I haven’t seen snow since I was 9! This Christmas, however, I am visiting my sister in Boston:) I’m so super excited to (hopefully) go sledding and play with my nephews in the snow.

  • Rachel @ Suburban Yogini October 13, 2010, 10:51 am

    Middle of the Cambridgeshire fens, UK… wet and grey, freezing cold and grey with occassional unmanageable snow, wet and grey, warm and wet with occassional sunny days. 😉

  • Marisa @Loser for Life October 13, 2010, 10:51 am

    Breakfast looks yum!
    I live in Philly area, so we’re pretty on target with appropriate seasons! Fall is my fave 🙂

  • Shannon, Tropical Eats October 13, 2010, 10:51 am

    florida misses you!!! 🙂

    cool, warm, humid, rainy, muggy, hot as heck.. you know how it is heheh

  • Alison (Ali on the Run) October 13, 2010, 10:52 am

    I definitely miss living in New Hampshire (where I grew up) for the amazing seasons. After that, I lived in Connecticut (where I went to college), which had similar seasons: hot but usually not brutal summer, cool fall with picturesque foliage, semi-miserable but usually tolerable winter and wet, warm spring. Now I’m in NYC which is similar, though a bit more mild on all fronts. I mostly just miss the fall foliage of New England! The leaves turning color in Central Park is nice, but it’s just not the same.

  • Jess October 13, 2010, 10:54 am

    I’m from Buffalo- we have hot summers, cool falls (I love it now!), snowy and freezing winters, and rainy Springs that usually don’t last too long and merge with winter.

    I don’t loooove snow, but I think if I lived without it, I’d really miss it!

  • Shanna, like Banana October 13, 2010, 10:55 am

    In Norhtern Cali we are almost 70 degrees all year round, but luckily in the winter months we get some days closer to 55deg and there’s always Tahoe near by for the snow!

  • Hallie October 13, 2010, 10:56 am

    Ha, I love the “seasons” talk. I’m born and raised in San Diego so we don’t really get seasons…it gets cloudy for two months in the Spring, and it gets a little chilly for a few weeks in winter, but I swear we get random heat waves in like, February. I went to college in upstate New York, and while I miss fall, I did NOT miss the super long winter, so i guess it’s a trade-off 🙂

  • britta October 13, 2010, 10:57 am

    Oh, what I would give to enjoy a fall or winter! We follow the summer year round with our travels. I enjoy the warmth and the exotic places but sometimes I want to put on a pair of jeans and a light sweatshirt and be embraced by cool air!

  • Nicole of Raspberry Stethoscope October 13, 2010, 11:01 am

    That photo of James is sooooo adorable.

  • Maria @ Oh Healthy Day October 13, 2010, 11:05 am

    I grew up in Virginia and we had typical four seasons a year. I loved it when they changed!

    Now I’m in CA and they all just seem to mesh together – not a fan.

  • Leanne @ Simplicitlee October 13, 2010, 11:15 am

    I live in Alberta Canada… our seasons are usually

    November – May : Cold & lots of snow

    June : warmer

    July – August : Hotter

    September : can be warm or can be cooler

    October : this year we have super nice weather (its still pretty warm most days…!) and so far no snow, which is suprising 😀

    …your miami weather makes me jealous. Although I cannot imagine Christmas without snow. It just would seem wrong to me. I think in the 23 years Christmas’ i’ve had, it’s happend once where I could see grass on Christmas day! LOL.

  • Katherine @ Left Coast Contessa October 13, 2010, 11:22 am

    In LA we have hot and dry or coolish and wet. It gets cold at night but I miss seasons. I will have one week of Winter when I go to my parents house in Chicago for Christmas.

  • Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary) October 13, 2010, 11:26 am

    I REALLY like the change in the seasons. There’s nothing better than driving down a street full of maple’s turning all kinds of colors and the leaves wooshing around the street as the cars drive by… Or seeing the bloom’s in early spring after winter. By this descrtiption, you may think I live where there’s seasonal changes, but not especially… So Cal is pretty much chilly, warm, kinda hot, warm w. cool nights 😉 but I reallly love the changes any way…. even if I have to drive to see them.

  • Caitlin October 13, 2010, 11:27 am

    I never thought I’d say this, but I miss Pittsburgh weather. Living in Texas might as well be warm, I think it’s cool but it’s really 70, and face melting hot.

  • Anna @ Doing Good & Living Well October 13, 2010, 11:27 am

    When I moved from GA to DC, I thought I was moving “up north” and was sure I would have cooler summers and snow in the winter. Whoops! Instead, the summers are just as hot and muggy. The winters are much colder — but for the first three years we had barely any snow. I was so disappointed. This past winter’s blizzards made up for it. Bring more snow, I say! 🙂

  • KRISTY October 13, 2010, 11:28 am

    South Florida Winter – What a joke! I ‘m very envious of the season changes but dont think I could be in the snow for 6months straight! The carolinas seem B-E-A-utiful! After school maybe we will move somewhere with seasons?

  • Chelsea @ Strawberry Sweat October 13, 2010, 11:31 am

    Minnesota–hot/humid summers, warm fall, freezing cold winters, and cool spring. I am excited for our first snow, but I can’t stand the thought of snow for like 5-6 months! I would love the snow if it A) didn’t get so cold around here, and B) did not get dirty and icky looking.

  • Melissa @ Running with Needles October 13, 2010, 11:33 am

    I grew up in Chicago, so we had all the extremes – hot hot in the summer, freezing in the winter and everything in between. I just moved to west-central Illinois and I have no idea what to expect this winter! I’m just hoping for less snow and ice than I’m used to.

    • Anna October 13, 2010, 12:08 pm

      I grew up in Peoria then Rock Island…don’t get your hopes up about less snow/ice!!

  • Amber K October 13, 2010, 11:35 am

    Oregon is very tempermental when it comes to the weather. The seasons are rain, less rain, freezing cold but then no rain so we can’t actually get snow, really hot in the summer with random freezing cold days.

    BTW, I wanted to thank you for your breakfast quinoa recipe! Now that I can’t eat oats anymore I was really worried about what I’d eat every morning! I had tried it before and wasn’t a huge fan of the texture, preferring oats. But now that oats aren’t an option I have come to love the amazing taste!!

    • Caitlin October 13, 2010, 11:40 am

      oh yes! there are lots of fun ways to eat quinoa!

  • Jennie October 13, 2010, 11:40 am

    Phoenix, AZ. Need I say more?

  • Teacherwoman October 13, 2010, 11:42 am

    I think we get it all (besides hurricanes and earthquakes). We have wonderful summers that can get very hot and humid just like Florida. We have wonderful Falls with cooler temps, changing of colors, and wonderful running weather. Our winters can be extremely long with lots of snow, temps reaching well below zero with wind chill, frost, ice, snow, sleet, snow, snow… the worst of it usually is in January/February. We get teased by mother nature in March and April with spring weather mixed in with winter storms here and there. Spring seems to be the shortest, but most welcoming after a long winter. However, it sometimes consists of heavy rainfall in conjunction with fast melting snow making our rivers rise, causing a bit of anxiety from year to year. Even though we have some pretty nasty winters in Fargo, North Dakota, I do enjoy the changing of season and experiencing it all…

  • Tracey October 13, 2010, 11:45 am

    I feel like the weather in Chicago is unpredictable. Summers are hot, Fall lasts about 2 days, Winter is very cold and Spring lasts about 3 days. It’s crazy!

  • kelly October 13, 2010, 11:53 am

    I live in the Chicago area, so all of our seasons are EXTREME!! 🙂 Although, I can’t complain about an extreme spring or fall 😉 There is nothing better than spring and fall in the midwest!!

  • Amanda October 13, 2010, 12:07 pm

    I live in upstate NY. We joke that our seasons are cool, cold, cool and roadwork 🙂 Really though I love our seasons. We have four distinct seasons with a reasonable length growing season. I like winters with snow because 1. I ski and 2. I hate when it is cold and rainy!

  • Anna October 13, 2010, 12:10 pm

    I’m currently in central PA. I think this state actually has pretty amazing seasonal variation! If you think the summers/winters are bad, just move to the Midwest and you will experience REAL extremes 😉

  • Alexa @ The Girl In Chucks October 13, 2010, 12:17 pm

    In San Francisco, the weather is really mild, which is one of my favorite things about living here.

    Temperatures are usually in the 60s for most of the year. There are a couple of weeks every years where the weather is in the 90s (like it is today..gross!) and there are a couple of weeks during the winter where it hits the low 40s…but mostly it’s in the middle.

    I do get a little sad that I never get to see the seasons change. Mostly, I get sad about not getting to see much of a color change in fall. Also, I didn’t see snow for the first time until I was 21 and my friends and I drove up to Nevada…it never snows in San Francisco. It’s happened, like, twice since I’ve been alive, and neither time was it cold enough to stick. I sort of think I would like to spend one year somewhere, watching the seasons change, just so I would know what it feels like…

    …and then I’d like to come right back home to San Francisco and be happy and content in my 60 degree weather!

  • Lauren October 13, 2010, 12:27 pm

    I’m from PA and I second that snow thing. Ugh, it’s miserable here in the winter. 🙁

  • Judi October 13, 2010, 12:28 pm

    I am a Colorado native. So I KNOW all four seasons. Over 100 in the summer and below zero in the winter. With BEAUTIFUL fall trees and spring flowers. It really doesn’t get any better. 🙂 I wish I could taste your pumpkin yogurt! Looks incredible! 🙂 Happy Running.

  • Michelle (The Runner's Plate) October 13, 2010, 12:30 pm

    I grew up in Minnesota and now live in Alaska, but I actually hate the cold and snow! I would love to live in a place with no to little snow!

  • Liz @ Tip Top Shape October 13, 2010, 12:33 pm

    I live in Chicago so we have pretty good seasons. Except for Spring-I swear it goes from being freezing to 80 degrees in one weekend.

    And I totally agree that it really isn’t Fall until the leaves begin to change. They’ve just started to change here. So pretty 😀

  • Heather October 13, 2010, 12:34 pm

    When I lived in Chicago it was pretty much how you described Pittsburgh, perfect summer or horrible winter. Now that I live in Arizona, it’s Cool, Warm, Hot, and Oh my good when will the sun stop baking us!

  • Lauren October 13, 2010, 12:41 pm

    i live in the northwest, and it sounds like it’s the opposite of florida–wet, wetter, warm, wet. haha 🙂 your breakfast is so colorful and pretty!

  • Evan Thomas October 13, 2010, 12:44 pm

    Here in New England, we have two sayings:
    Is it too hot for ya?
    or
    Is it too cold for ya?

  • Ashley October 13, 2010, 12:49 pm

    Here in Kansas, we get all four seasons, but winter and summer are pretty extreme. Winter we get lots of ice and freezing temps and in the summer its hot and humid. But spring and fall are perfect!

  • Lisa October 13, 2010, 12:50 pm

    Portland has strange seasons. We like to joke that we have Rainy Season, Rainier Season and then Summer, then Winter.

    Really, Winter is gray and rainy. Spring is sunny and rainy. Summer is short. Fall is usually pretty good 🙂

  • Mary @ Bites and Bliss October 13, 2010, 12:52 pm

    I wouldn’t want to live in one extreme and then the other- that must have been tough! Having actual seasons is much better 🙂

  • chelsey @ clean eating chelsey October 13, 2010, 12:54 pm

    I live in Chicago – we have the most extreme weather. 80 degrees one day, 30 degrees the next. And no, I am not joking. For the past few years it has been going from summer straight into the heart of winter. Horrible!!!

  • Clare @ Fitting It All In October 13, 2010, 1:05 pm

    I’m a midwest girl so our weather is crazy! We definitely have all the seasons, but this summer was hotter than ever!

    I went to college in Northern Indiana where it snowed and was freezing cold from October to April. Definitely to NOT miss that!

  • Paige (Running Around Normal) October 13, 2010, 1:07 pm

    Illinois is most remiscent of Pittsburg, I’m afraid:( If winter only got down to 50 degrees, I’d be one happy girl!

  • Kerry October 13, 2010, 1:19 pm

    I live in Vegas. Cool,hot, super hot, nice. LoL. Right now we are in the nice phase and everyone is SO happy in the desert!

  • Mo October 13, 2010, 1:31 pm

    I like to live a place which has real four seasons. Living in one extreme weather and then the other is so tough, and living in no seasonal variations is so boring.

  • Amanda - Small Home Big Start October 13, 2010, 1:34 pm

    I live in Toronto, Ontario, so we definitely get four seasons, but sadly winter is our longest. I don’t mind it for the first 6 weeks, but by March I always start looking up jobs in Santa Monica, haha.

  • Lindsay McAlester October 13, 2010, 1:48 pm

    This may be a wierd question, but here goes nothin’! 🙂 Do you measure your fruit you have your bowl for breakfast? I ask because I can count like 14 raspberries. I add about 5-8 raspberries to my oatmeal along with half a banana. One reason is cost the other being portion control. Any way….just thought I would ask. 🙂 No answer is to dumb….I hope. Especially since it is my first time to comment on your blog. Okay I will stop now. 🙂

    • Caitlin October 13, 2010, 1:50 pm

      Hi! 🙂 Naw I just dump in like half of the container. I need fruit power! And they were on sale or I would definitely be stingy-er.

  • Amanda October 13, 2010, 2:50 pm

    In buffalo we have winter and construction…..

  • giordin October 13, 2010, 2:51 pm

    I’ve been meaning to comment on so many of your posts lately because they are so perfectly timed to what I’ve been thinking about lately (tapering, seasons!). I’m happy that my computer is finally functioning so I can actually comment this time!

    I love love love seeing all four seasons. I grew up in Colorado, which has a perfect display of all season, and now of them are overpowering and miserable. Now I live near Los Angeles, so I don’t really see anything other than 60-70 degrees and sunny (except the random bouts of rain and heat…it actually got up to 110 deg here this summer which is unheard of…fortunately I was out of town enjoying a real fall)and I totally miss having four seasons, especially snow. Almost every fall since I’ve lived in LA I’ve been sent on work travel to Buffalo, NY, which doesn’t sound glamorous, but I LOVE that there are so many trees changing colors, and occasionally, if we’re there long enough, we’ll catch a snowfall or two. I think I’d go a bit crazy if didn’t have at least a bit of fall and winter (they’re my favorite).

  • TheHerBehindItAll October 13, 2010, 3:01 pm

    I’ve grown up in California- born & raised! There aren’t too many seasons here. It really depends on the year. Some years it is really rainy and others it isn’t but I prefer rainy. This year for me it’s been cool [spring] warmer[summer] hot[end of summer/fall] & now it’s being a bit indecisive. weird huh?

  • Jenne October 13, 2010, 4:44 pm

    Calgary has been miseralble lately for most people, long cold winters and short wet summers….personally I like it because I like wearing long sleeves!!!

    Question about your breakfast….do you stir all that up before you eat it? It looks so pretty, but I wouldn’t know where to start my spoon?!!

    • Caitlin October 13, 2010, 4:45 pm

      Yes I stir 🙂 That’s only for the pic!

  • Marina October 13, 2010, 4:45 pm

    I live in Vancouver so my seasons are:

    – rain
    – rain
    – rain
    – more rain!

    I still love it so very much though.

  • Haley October 13, 2010, 4:48 pm

    We have two seasons in Hawai’i: tropical + tropical with a chance of rain, hehe.

  • Sarah @ Sarah's Shaping Up October 13, 2010, 6:41 pm

    the parsnip fries look DELISH! I will be adding those to my recipe queue!
    And our seasons are pretty typical… warm, HOT, chilly… and then SNOW!

  • maria @ Chasing the Now October 13, 2010, 6:46 pm

    My little area of Japan goes like this: nice spring, HOT AS HELL summer, decent fall, FREAKING COLD/no snow winter.

    Not great.

    Kentucky is pretty much the same, though, except it does snow.

  • Heidi - apples under my bed October 13, 2010, 6:57 pm

    Here in Melbourne, Australia we dont get snow. We get a hot hot Summer, a sunny cool Spring, Autumn (Fall) is similar to Spring, and Winter is a bit chilly and rainy. BUT Melbourne weather is notorious for having “4 seasons in 1 day”, so it could be rainy when you wake up, then hot and sunny by midday. weird. makes outfit selection difficult 🙂
    Heidi xo

  • Ellen@FirednFabulous October 13, 2010, 7:35 pm

    NYC goes a little something like this: Nice, breezy Fall (sometimes too much rain), snowy Winter AND SPRING (it’s snows in April!) and Hottt Summers!

  • Kate @ Ordinary Girl, Extraordinary Journey October 13, 2010, 7:47 pm

    I grew up in Nashville, TN where we really did experience the four seasons. My husband and I moved to Sacramento, CA a few months ago. We love the city but I am really missing Fall in the South! It’s the middle of October and its been in the 90’s this week. Boooo…..

  • Viviane October 13, 2010, 8:36 pm

    Up here in Quebec we joke that our seasons are winter, winter, winter and construction. Hahaha!!

  • Kim @ Kim Lives Healthy October 13, 2010, 11:30 pm

    Is that the UCF nature preserve? It looks like a trail I was on recently but not sure.

    • Cindy October 14, 2010, 8:41 am

      Hi Kim. I was wondering the same thing. Caitlin said it’s Moss Park. I have yet to visit that park, but you can bet it’s in my near future now 🙂 Just waiting for the weather we had a couple weeks ago….!

      • Caitlin October 14, 2010, 10:10 am

        It’s in Moss Park 🙂

  • Tay October 14, 2010, 12:09 am

    I love that picture of little Caitlin!! It looks just like you 🙂 Well…duh…since it IS you!

  • Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin October 14, 2010, 9:12 am

    It gets pretty hot and humid here in the summers, but it is absolutely freezing in the winters! It feels like a dry, deep freeze and I’m always cold no matter what. I’m so not looking forward to the arrival of winter. 😛

  • Sara October 14, 2010, 9:15 am

    Central Virginia: Cold, cool (briefly), hot, warm (briefly). Short fall and short spring.

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