Headed out the door, ready to turn the lock, I pause. By the time I get home it will be dark. I go back inside and turn the outdoor light on. Now I'm ready to go. Except, by the time I get the car door open, I feel the chill of the breeze. Back to get a jacket. You would think I would know by now that September is different than July.

Maybe last weekend deceived me. The air was so humid. I put on shorts and a sleeveless shirt to go kayaking. But when I stepped in the water, my ankles were cold.

It was lovely to swim in the bay from mid July through early September. Doing breast stroke, I had to watch the oncoming waves when the water was rough. And with back stroke, the sun was blinding when I swam north. But a couple weeks ago we had days of wild waves. The water temperature dropped. I have to go to town to swim now.

I can still walk in with the kayak for now, but I foresee a time when that will not happen.

Weather reports suggest we are going to get some more warm days, but I don't think I'll be deceived as badly. Ash leaves are gracefully twirling through the air, starting to cover our driveway. Sumac are turning scarlet. The maples are touched with bright red and orange. The birch and alder are yellowing. Each day there is more colour.

I put on a long sleeve shirt one day and grabbed a jacket. I was happy to have the extra layer at home. But halfway to town, I was tempted to stop and get it off. The sun blazing through the windshield had warmed the car. I opened a couple windows and was comfortable again.

Soon I am going to want light gloves to keep my fingers warm. I've already put on socks. I wonder where I put the gloves. Winter wear is put away in the same bins I have used for years. They are in a different spot than they were at the farm, but I know where they sit. The fall gloves though, that is a mystery. I better find them soon before I realize I need them when I am already halfway out the door.

I wonder what else I need to get ready. We were in this house last fall but the previous owners moved out in April. They never really "summer-ized" the place. For example, they had not turned on the water to the outside taps. I figured out how to do that in May when I started planting. First thing on my winterizing list had better be to turn them off. I've appreciated having taps. Never did at the farm. But they need to go off and get drained. How do I do that?

Two of the outside taps leak a bit, so once they are off, I will take them apart and figure out what washers to get so they stop leaking. The plants beside the taps didn't mind, but it feels wasteful.

I raked leaves off the lawn last year. Put them into the garden. I will do the same this year both to protect the plants and to dig them into the soil to add texture to the clay and nutrients to the ground.

The outdoor furniture had better come inside. There are some wooden benches that previous owners left and they can stay out, but the chairs we brought should come back in. The kayaks will come back to the shed under the deck where they spent last winter.

The plants in pots can stay out for now. Frost is a long way into the future here by the water. Where I will store them after that is a different question. I'll tidy up the few annuals I put in, tip over the cement pots that sit around the garden so they don't hold water and freeze, keep my eyes open to notice the other winter preparation tasks that are different in this house from what I am used to.

In the meantime, I'll put up with not knowing how many layers to put on. The air is fresh. Some days are bright. And the colours are glorious.

Cathy Hird lives on the shore of Georgian Bay.