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Florida's fall not a flashy season, but it foretells coming delights

 
Fall has arrived, Florida's greatest season — but it does not look like this.
Fall has arrived, Florida's greatest season — but it does not look like this.
Published Sept. 19, 2014

North of us, Americans are drinking apple cider, eyeing the pumpkins, calling the chimney sweep, dressing in flannel shirts against the slight nip in the air.

Not in Florida. We're still adjusting the air conditioner. We're still watching the tropics and wearing Hawaiian shirts.

Oh, Florida. Where is our fall?

Wait a minute. It's here, fall, our greatest season. We can't brag about cold weather or neon leaves, but the peregrine falcons and red knots from the arctic have arrived. Those ultimate snowbirds, white pelicans from Canada, are now exploring our bays. Our oranges are getting orangier by the day. Fresh-squeezed juice is the official drink of Florida fall.

Stone crab season opens in a matter of weeks. Its white meat, served cold and dipped in mayonnaise-mustard sauce, is the official food of a Florida fall.

All the while, the mullet are getting fat with roe, schooling and waiting for a full-moon cold front, whenever it happens, to head into the gulf to spawn, another sign of a Florida fall.

So let the Yankees celebrate their leaves and frosty pumpkins. But pity them. Soon they will be up to their knees in snow. They'll be slipping on icy sidewalks and breaking elbows. Not us. Our weather will only get nicer. And our maples will be give us a little color, not tomorrow or next week, but eventually.

We have friends who smoke a good mullet. We'll eat it outside, wearing a flannel shirt, against the balmy breezes of a Florida fall.