DAILY DIRT: ‘And all at once, summer collapsed into fall’

From a guy’s standpoint, is there really a better time of the year than when the MLB races are going down to the wire, college football is still in its infant stages and the NFL is right around the corner? … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 389 of The Daily Dirt.

1. I was sitting with The Little Woman on the back porch Monday night.

We were kind of one with nature. The sun was setting, a few annoying birds were chirping and the air was actually getting a bit chilly.

“You know, Kath … I’d say fall has officially arrived,” I observed. “I know it’s still technically summer until later in the month, but I am officially declaring it autumn.”

She put her phone down, smiled and responded, “You are absolutely right, love of my life.”

Actually, she turned her head, stared at me and mumbled, ” ,,, Uh-huh …”

And then she went right back to her phone.

The point being, however, is we’ll soon be discarding the T-shirts for hoodies, which brought the following recollections to mind. The following writers have prompted some of my favorite thoughts this time of the year:

Gold medal: “And all at once, summer collapsed into fall.” — poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. (Or, in other words, baseball season is rapidly exploding into football season.)

Silver medal: “Of all the seasons, autumn offers the most to man and requires the least of him.” — author and naturalist Hal Borland. (Except for raking leaves. If you need help, let me know. I have a guy.)

Bronze medal: “Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves change.” — author Elizabeth Lawrence. (Oh, Elizabeth … I have no problem sitting watching most anything change.)

2. My five favorite movies with autumn as one of the backdrops:

1. “When Harry Met Sally” (1989): Meg Ryan’s finest 1 hour, 35 minutes minutes on the silver screen. I never really bought into her falling for Billy Crystal, but this was pre-plastic surgery Meg Ryan and I had no problem overlooking the shortcomings of Billy Crystal.

2. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1985): A remarkable film that was worthy of Academy Award consideration 37 years ago. This was most certainly the highlight of Matthew Broderick’s career in film.

3. “Remember the Titans (2000): One of the three finest sports-inspired films ever made, ranking behind only “Field of Dreams” and “Bull Durham.” And, yes, I will always remember the Titans.

4. “Love Story” (1970): Saddest. Ending. Ever.

5. “You’ve Got Mail” (1998): No. 2 on the list of Meg Ryan’s greatest achievements. Remember the name of her character? Twas Kathleen Kelly.

3. My favorite items gleaned from Facebook over the Labor Day holiday weekend:

— “Roses are red. Tacos are delicious. I use paper plates because I hate doing dishes.”

— “My favorite time of year is when … the bugs start to die.”

— “I’m currently reading a book about Henry Ford. It’s an auto biography.”

— “Things that tell the truth: Small children, drunk people, yoga pants.”

— “The first Chevrolet Corvette was built in 1953. The cost was $3,490.”

— “Just saw three people jogging outside and it inspired me to get up and close the blinds.”

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” I try and relate that thought to my wife just about every day.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Someday, he will be quoted as “Philosopher Stevie Dirt”