You have a great attitude towards the seasons, Valiant. I, too, find something lovely about each season ... except summer. Actually, even then, I can find a few things, mainly swimming, gardening, and usually a Moot. Other than that, I have trouble not dreading it because of the heat. Anything above 60° is getting too warm for me: I prefer around freezing temperatures, actually—0C/32F. And I adore snow! I'd much prefer a cloudy, stormy day to bright sunshine in a blue sky, which I find boring. Storms are pretty much my favourite type of weather. Except at night ... then, it's lovely if the sky clears because stargazing is such an awesome treat. (Not too picky, am I? )

And now, to your questions, Valiant:

So what is your favorite seasons? Why?
Winter and Autumn are first, hands down. Then spring. It would be nicer if summer wasn't coming after it. Summer is dead last. Way down my list.

How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins?
AWESOME!!! Once the cool weather of spring disappears, I am almost counting the days until the fall time. (Yes, I'd be very happy living in the Arctic, methinks. ) Today there is a definite feel of autumn in the air: the temp is around 60F, with a cool breeze blowing, and gorgeous layered clouds with a scent of rain. The anticipation of the leaves beginning to turn, the crunch of them underfoot, the smell of bonfires, freshly-picked crunchy apples, hikes in coloured woods, pumpkins growing en masse in fields ... it is a wonderful time of year. ♥

Even though most people I know don't feel this way, I really enjoy when the days become shorter as one can stargaze in the evening without staying up toooo late, plus I do so enjoy coming in from outside to the coziness of the white mini lights on and the windows thrown open to the freshness of the night. I also enjoy jogging and (brisk) walking, and miss it terribly in the summer, as it's often just too warm. (I find it hard to go out exercising if it's above 15C/60F, and much prefer walking in temps around freezing.)

What are you looking forward to this autumn?
In terms of the weather? Everything! After a very hot, dry, humid summer (particularly July), it is such a relief to not feel sweaty, out of energy, and icky all day. And tonight, for the first time in quite awhile, the windows will be welcoming that cool evening air in. Apparently it's going to get down to around 8C/46F. So, I'm thankful we're at the far end of summer, to be sure.

What are you worried about this autumn?
Weather-related ... nothing in the least. Looking forward to this season with all my might.

Valiant, what about adding a poll for the four seasons to this topic? It would be fun to see, at a quick glance, what the preferences are.

Btw, for those of you who don't know, we have a Meteorology thread, which we discuss in detail the fascinating subject of weather in our respective corners of the world, and read with interest what others are experiencing.

Great topic, Valiant!

What is your favorite season? Why?
I really do like all of the seasons, but autumn is my favorite. The weather cools, the air is fresh and crisp, the geese cry overhead, and the squirrels begin their busy task of burying nuts. My favorite coats, jackets, chunky sweaters, cardigans, boots, leggings, and scarves come back into use, and the world is transformed into a magnificent splash of color - the burnt oranges, deep reds, rich golds, and rustic browns. Autumn is also the perfect season for soups and hot beverages galore, and one can't overlook Thanksgiving dinner! I love baking and cooking for days on end during the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.

How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins?
Excited! Mind you, I do enjoy the summer... but once August rolls 'round I'm DEFINITELY ready for school to start. I'm ready to able wear my favorite outfits again, and a break from the heat is always highly anticipated!

What are you looking forward to this autumn?
Everything! I'm looking forward to a season well spent with friends and full of memories worth remembering. Mainly, however, I'm looking forward to the cool weather. Summer was far too hot and humid this year for my liking.

What are you worried about this autumn?
Nothing comes to mind at the moment, aside from school.

A poll is a great idea, Louise!

Nice idea for a topic!

So what is your favorite seasons? Why?

Winter!!!! I love winter! I love it because there's so much I love to do outside in the winter. I can track animals in the snow, tobogganing, snow tubing, ice skating, building snow forts/sculptures, I even like shoveling snow Most of all I can't stand heat and humidity I prefer temps along the range of 65f and lower. Also I like it because the snow and ice make things so pretty.

How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins?

Yay! It's been way too hot out! But in all seriousness I almost always look forward to the change in seasons, because each season brings along something new

What are you looking forward to this autumn?

Probably the colors of all the leaves And the lack of humidity.

What are you worried about this autumn?

My allergies. School.

I hope you don't mind if I add a few questions of my own

What do you like and dislike about winter?
What do you like and dislike about spring?
What do you like and dislike about summer?
What do you like and dislike about autumn?
Do you prefer "fall" or "autumn?"

My favorite season is winter. I love snow and especially Christmas. I'm usually pretty sad when summer ends because it's the end of summer vacation, but I'm also excited when school starts again. Summer can be kind of boring sometimes. I'm really looking forward to school this year. It should be a good year and I have a bunch of good classes. I'm worried about it too though. I don't know it it'll be hard.

I would like to offer up this poem by my favorite poet John Keats:

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.
(google "To Autumn" for the rest)

I prefer being warm, so I cling to summer to the death, but it is a lovely poem. I live on the California coast so fall and winter are very mild and I do love the fog, but I still wimp out at 50 degrees, so I prefer summer. (I know everyone from the cold climates is laughing that I would even consider 50 degrees cold)

So what is your favorite seasons? Why?
Summer! My birthday, swimming, the beach- yay! No sweatshirts and sweater!
How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins?
Sad to think about it...but thrilling as it comes! Yesterday the weather was so Fall-ish and romantic... ahh...
What are you looking forward to this autumn?
Vacation, maybe graduating, and seeing friends.
What are you worried about this autumn?
My job, a little bit.

What do you like and dislike about winter?
Like: snow, and seeing your breath-so Narnia-ish! Dislike: Sickness and always having to wear coats.
What do you like and dislike about spring?
Like: Flowers, warming up. Dislike: Those lingering cold days. Can't swim quite yet.
What do you like and dislike about summer?
Like: My birthday, swimming etc., and no colds! Dislike: Extreme heat and getting sweaty anytime you go outside.
What do you like and dislike about autumn?
Like: The leaves, the breezes... a nip to the air. Dislike: Those too-chilly days.
Do you prefer "fall" or "autumn?"
I say fall. Autumn sounds more wedding-ish though.

Yeah...I hate cold without snow, and am feeling romantic.

So what is your favorite seasons? Why? My favorite season where I live is Winter, which is basically the equivalent to Autumn for everyone else. I love the cool weather, cloudy skies, rain, and crimson colored leaves.

How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins? We don't really have Summers and Autumns the way other states do. Here, it's the same cool weather all the way through Spring and Summer. In Autumn, it gets super hot and reaches triple digits. And then our Winter is the cool, rainy, crimson-colored-leaves time.

What are you looking forward to this autumn? Continuing doing what I'm basically doing right now. I hope it doesn't get too hot.

What are you worried about this autumn? That it will get dark too early and I won't be able to go outside as much.

~Riella

So what is your favorite seasons? Why?

Spring! I'm no fan of Old Man Winter, although I tend to enjoy the first month or two of it. But Winter feels like it stretches out interminably and it's always cold and wet. But then when Spring comes up it's like the world is shaking its lethargy off. Trees start to come back to life, flowers start appearing everywhere, and for the first time in 5 months I have energy again. Not to mention that when the temps are in the 60's and 70's range with low humidity and no bugs, that's what I'm talking about.

How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins?

Grateful. I hate summer. It's my least favorite season.

What are you looking forward to this autumn?

Getting out of Summer.

What are you worried about this autumn?

How I plan on moving 2 acres worth of dead leaves to the curb.

I like and dislike something about every season except Spring. I'm a general hater of the heat and of the cold, I like warm, pleasant weather (yeah I'm hard to please )

So what is your favorite seasons? Why? Spring, Spring and again Spring, I love the smell in the air when the snow melts, I love the feeling of everything coming to life again, I love that the dreaded cold dead winter is at last over, I love that the days are getting longer, the nights warmer, when Spring comes around, I just know everything is going to be okay. I also love ealy autumn, not as much as spring, but still, I love the cool yet still pleasant weather, the changing leaves, it's a beautiful time of year
How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins? Wonderful, usually I would hate it cause the end of summer always meant that I had to go back to school, but now I actually feel very wonderful, I always get this sort of special, excited feeling when one season ends and another starts
What are you looking forward to this autumn? Weather wise, I hope we don't have to much rain so we will have a long golden autumn, not weather wise I'm getting my first job and going to college (hopefully)
What are you worried about this autumn? that we will have lots of rain, and that I won't get taken into college

What do you like and dislike about winter? I like winter because of Christmas that's probable the only reason, I like a month of winter, cause I think the snow if very lovely for a little while (little being the key word), I love how the snowflakes sparkle in the moonlight, I dislike almost everything about winter, I hate the cold, the below freezing temperatures, the fact that the days are so short and the sunsets are so fast, you hardly even get to enjoy them before they are gone I get tired of snow very easily, I get sick of the white....basically, I'm not fan of winter
What do you like and dislike about spring? There isn't anything I dislike about Spring, and I like everything about it, even the slush in the begining, when all the snow is melting and everything is wet, just the knowledge that the snow is going away makes me happy
What do you like and dislike about summer? I like the long romantic sunsets in summer I love that it stays light till around midnight, I love the nightingales that sing outside my window, I generally dislike the heat, in July it gets really bad and there isn't really anyway to get rid of it, the heat gives me chest pains and headaches, so I don't really care for it
What do you like and dislike about autumn? I love the changing leaves in autumn, I love the feeling of vacations being over and time for work to start, the sunsets and sunrises in autumn are amazing, cause of the orange and red leaves, I love walking and feeling the sort of moist are, I love autumn rain, provided there isn't to much of it I don't like it when all the leaves fall and the trees are left bare, I don't really enjoy the cold greyness of November, and I don't really like it when it starts to get really cold
Do you prefer "fall" or "autumn?" I like autumn best, cause fall sort of sounds like everything is falling, while autumn sounds very romantic

Kate, I loved that poem, it's so lovely

So what is your favorite seasons? Why?
No doubt about it. Summer. Not even just about the weather, though I love heat and sunshine, and green grass and blue sky. Just all the joy that is contained in Summer. I LOVEEEE it.
How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins?
It hurts to have all the joy of summer over - but my last autumn was amazing, and this one - feels like it will be too.
What are you looking forward to this autumn?
Pretty colors. Being in the play I'm in. Helping out at a wedding. Joy.
What are you worried about this autumn?
Winter coming after it. xDD

Fun to read other members' thoughts on the seasons.

So what is your favorite seasons? Why?
Some might expect me to say winter; some friends even call me a 'polar bear' (that avatar is intentional. )

But it's autumn! The cooler, crisp weather - beautiful blue skies and starlit nights (which, as jo mentioned, are getting longer so I don't have to wait until midnight to see the stars), no more mosquitoes, the fall colors, nights with bonfires, trips to orchards for fresh produce...the list goes on and on.

That's not to say I don't like winter. The first few snowfalls are delightful (unless I have to drive in 20 inches of new snow!) and there's nothing like a cold, crisp, Christmas Eve night with stars overhead and snow crunching underfoot.

How do you feel when summer ends and autumn begins?
Delighted!

What are you looking forward to this autumn?
Those things listed above.

What are you worried about this autumn?
Nothing that's weather-related.

What do you like and dislike about winter?

The first snow. The beauty of the Full Moon sparkling on freshly-fallen powder. Deep blue skies contrasting with bright white snowcover.

At times, winter can seem to drag out a bit here (gasp! ). By late October the trees are usually bare and some snow has fallen; we can get snow all the way to the end of May. And windchills exceeding -40F/C are quite invigorating - like inhaling thousands of tiny needles into your lungs.

And it seems like everyone's forgotten how to drive in snow the first time we get some each fall.

But for the most part I love it!

What do you like and dislike about spring?
The bright, fresh greens of everything coming to life after months of dormancy. But I have seasonal allergies to tree pollen.

What do you like and dislike about summer?
Heat, humidity, and billions of mosquitoes. But thunderstorms can be fun to watch, from a safe place.

Do you prefer "fall" or "autumn?"
It depends on my mood. 'Autumn' sounds more sophisticated, but 'fall' is what the leaves do.

I find that its actually hard to decide on my favorite season. There is something about each season that I enjoy.

I actually like mild weather, so those are two reasons I like spring and autumn.
Autumn is a bit chilly but that allows me to get cozy inside the house. Its a good time to have some pie or some warm tea. I like how the leaves change colours. There just seems to be a nice atmosphere.
Stargazer

The cooler, crisp weather - beautiful blue skies and starlit nights (which, as jo mentioned, are getting longer so I don't have to wait until midnight to see the stars), no more mosquitoes, the fall colors, nights with bonfires, trips to orchards for fresh produce...

You described it better than I could. Thanksgiving and Halloween are there as well. I think I mainly get nice feelings around this time because I have a lot of good memories around here. The only thing I dislike is starting school.
Spring brings a feeling of life and joy along with easter. I have good memories from spring as well.

I like winter during Chirstmas season. Everything is so festive and warm. However I usually dislike the time between New Years and Spring Break. Everything seems dead and boring and cold. Nothing interesting happens.

I used to dislike exteremly hot weather as well, but in recent years, I have come to like it. Of course, there is summer break! Its just a nice time to relax. Even though its hard for me to really pick a favorite season, I'm going to vote Summer just beacuse of the holidays.

Anyways, its nice to find out that I'm not the only one who likes cool weather and even enjoys winter. All my friends and family think I'm so weird.

By the way Kate, I really like that poem! Thanks for sharing it.

Which do you prefer "Autumn" or "Fall"
To be honest, I usually say fall. However I decided to use Autumn in my first post just because its the proper name. Then, I stuck with it to be consistant.

Kate, what a lovely poem by Keats. Thanks for that!

(I know everyone from the cold climates is laughing that I would even consider 50 degrees cold)

Yuppers!

How I plan on moving 2 acres worth of dead leaves to the curb.

Get some leverage and tip the full 2 acres on to the street. Easy-peasy. (I felt like being silly, okay? )

Now, to wolf's questions:

What do you like and dislike about winter?
Like: EVERYTHING!: the sparkling snow and the storms which bring it, the cold, the shoveling (I love shoveling, particularly that light, fluffy snow; the heavy, wet stuff is tough-going, but still fun), even the ofttimes challenge of driving (as long as others are careful too, and it's not an overly long way); also how it gets dark so early and light so late ... I really enjoy that aspect of winter—more time to stargazer ... when it's not cloudy. I know some people has a seasonal disorder during the dark, cold months, but I'm the opposite: I suffer from this during the light, hot months. Odd, I know.
Dislike: NOTHING! Actually, I don't care for when the snow on the ground, especially by curbs, becomes so gungy by the end of the season. It's quite unattractive, plus it makes me sad knowing winter is over for another year.

What do you like and dislike about spring?
Like: Spring can be lovely: that new green of the plants, leaves, and grass is so pretty; the smell of fresh earth and blossoms is delicious; planting seeds and wee plants—in other words, gardening—is a favourite hobby of mine.
Dislike: summer comes next, so there is always a cloud hanging over this otherwise delightful season

What do you like and dislike about summer?
Like: swimming, gardening, Moots, thunderstorms, going barefoot as much as possible
Dislike: everything else, especially the hot temperatures (anything above 60-ish )

What do you like and dislike about autumn?
Like: EVERYTHING: autumn is awesome! I briefly talked about my love of autumn in my first post ^, and will also echo stargazer's description. Mmmm .... beautiful! If I had my druthers, autumn would be 6 months of the year, and winter, the other half ... or possibly 7 and 5. (Except, I have to be honest: I would miss gardening.) I also enjoy the busy activities of the small animals during this season: the squirrels become so fat and it's fun hearing and seeing the acorns fall in plenty from the great oaks.
Dislike: NOTHING!

Do you prefer "fall" or "autumn?"
I prefer "autumn" to "fall": a greater longing arises in me with the word "autumn", for some reason, and I do so like the very sound of it.

Btw, it was an impossibly choice to vote in the poll (thanks for adding that in, Valiant ), so I chose the usual underdog of my two favourites, and clicked on winter. But autumn is tied.

I suppose I should answer my own questions

Winter
Likes: Snow, building snow stuff, snowflakes, full moon wintry nights, the Holidays, sledding, ice skating, the fact that I can breathe, snow, feeling like I'm a wolf or a sled dog or in Narnia, tracking animals, snow, shoveling snow, did I mention snow?
Dislikes: Walking to class in a hailstorm, driving conditions, walking back from the pool and getting my ears numb in the cold.

Spring
Likes: A new life, baby animals, plants, the sound of nature, hiking, fishing, April Fool's Day on NW, birdwatching, rain
Dislikes: Allergies, too much rain, going back to school

Summer
Likes: My Birthday , Beaches, swimming, playing in the sand, birdwatching, campfires, chocolate filled marshmellows (personal invention ), rabbits , hiking, fishing, school break
Dislikes: Humidity, Heat, biting insects that like the taste of my blood, humidity, purple loostrife, japanese beetles, insects that get in your house.

Autumn
Likes: All the pretty colors , the chilly air, Thanksgiving, Halloween, the food
Dislikes: Allergies, going back to school

Autumn vs Fall: I prefer the word Autumn because it's such a pretty word, one of my favorites But I usually write fall out of habit and because it's easier to spell.