By Shannon Williams
“Fall is proof that change is beautiful “…… That is one of those sayings that you find at a little store and buy it to bring home and put it out with your other fall decorations. It seems that after a long hot summer we all welcome the fall with our arms wide open. Is it because the heat along with the hustle and bustle of the summer is finally coming to an end? Spring is a new beginning with Easter and baby farm animals being born, flowers springing up everywhere. Fall is not such a dramatic change, but one I think most of us love. If you ask a group of women what their favorite season is, I know that the majority will say Fall. But why do we love it so? I know that on Crystal Beach we all love Fall as life slows down, and it is without a doubt the best time of year. The days are cooler, but the water is still warm. We are on the tail end of the dreaded Hurricane season.

The tourists that come in the fall, are a different crowd than those who come here during the summer. They come for the birds, the quiet, and just to enjoy the warm and cool fall days and nights. If it were not for mosquitoes, it would be damn near perfect! It is a time to prepare for the holiday season, so for many of us, that means putting out “our Fall stuff” which is different that our beach or summer “stuff”. We get to occasionally wear a light jacket or maybe even a hoodie! We get to cook soup again!! (which is one of my all-time favorite things about Fall and Winter).

On the male side, Fall is a trifecta of fun, as at least during September and October you can watch Baseball, Football, and NASCAR. My poor husband has to rush home from his Sunday golf game and get settled in for a full day of watching sports. He goes back and forth between the baseball, football, NASCAR and even golf, it is hard to get it all in! Not to mention the Sunday afternoon nap! it is also a great time of the year for fishing for Flounder and Redfish, and a time you can fish and not melt in the heat.

On my side, I am busy with arts and crafts shows, open houses, getting ready for the Big Holidays that will soon be upon us. If you have kids or grandkids, there is Friday night football or Band! Saturday morning soccer, Fall Festivals and just a ton of fun things to be outside and enjoy.

I first came to the Gulf Coast in the Fall, that first ferry ride was a wonderful memory. I soon learned that Fall on the Gulf Coast is just FUN! I fell in love with both Crystal Beach and my husband in the fall. He loved showing me all the things he loved about the gulf coast. We were going back and forth from my home in West Texas to Crystal Beach and we both tried to be here much more than West Texas, as there is just so much to see and do here and it was a perfect spot and time of year just to get to know each other again and just be. We fished, took boat rides and enjoyed the beach with very few people.

I like having changes in Seasons, it is just good for the soul. We have just enough winter down here to remind us that it can get cold and there is a reason we don’t live somewhere with really cold weather. Summer is always better on the beach and Spring just comes alive on the Peninsula. Fall takes the prize, though. It just seems to go so fast. I no more than put up my summer red, white and blue and before you know it fall has passed and I am putting up the Christmas Tree. Maybe we could start a campaign to extend fall by a month or so, just so we could enjoy it more!

So, I leave you with a Fall Blessing and encourage you to go out and take in all Fall has to offer on the Gulf Coast.

[Oct-5-2021]