My Corner, Your Corner: Fall waits for no one

This is sort of a weird time of the year as we welcome the autumn season today.

Last week to 10 days have felt anything but fall — like with some of the year’s greatest weather with pretty much zero rain and sunny skies. Just this past Thursday, I had lunch outside, and it was spectacular.

As a friend said that day, “September has some of the best weather during the year.” I’ll agree to that.

Yes, the nights are cool, but the days have warmed up and even this week as we shift to more fall temps with highs in the mid to upper 60s, it’s still very comfortable.

The sun is still somewhat high in the sky but soon enough, the long shadows of autumn will follow. I always got a little annoyed when I would play tennis on a bright sunny day and the harsh daylight with a low angle makes it a bit deceptive when playing.

And for as much as I’ve enjoy a beautiful fall season from the beginning of Sept. to nearly the end of Oct., I always know what’s coming behind it — Old Man Winter.

The end of professional baseball looms near, pro football is just a few weeks underway, pro ice hockey is just a few weeks away, and the NBA begins at the end of Oct.

Indy Car Racing just wrapped up its season and NASCAR isn’t too far away. Formula 1 won’t finish until Nov. Of course, their series runs on tracks all over the world and race in countries with the warmest weather to the end.

High school football season is nearing the halfway point. That’s hard to believe, but true. In PA, the PIAA doesn’t crown a champion in each division until early Dec., so if your team is in a playoff, there’s plenty of football ahead.

As the saying goes, “Time waits for no one,” and it’s true. I was watching YouTube short videos the other day of people who passed away in September, and Johnny Cash died on Sept. 12, 2003. Wait, what? He passed away in 2003? It feels like maybe 10 years ago, but certainly not 21 years ago.

I could remember watching him at the funeral of his wife, June Carter Cash, who passed away just four months earlier in May 2003.

I felt it so ironic that he passed away in such a short period of time after her. Their story is one of the greatest love stories of all time that was depicted in the movie, “Walk the Line,” which came out two years after both passed away.

The same friend who said he loved September also said he just can’t understand how he is not 70 years old. Yeah, I get it. Time just accelerates as you get older.

This weekend, I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to do a photo job in Philadelphia’s historic district for the America250PA organization that is hosting a nationwide convention for all the state’s America250 delegations.

For those of you who are in the dark about America250PA, it’s a creation of the Commonwealth to aid in the celebration of the U.S.A.’s 250 birthday in 2026.

Local political figure and former Mayor of Exeter, Cassandra Coleman, no not the Cassandra Coleman that was on American Idol, was named the executive director by a bipartisan vote in 2018.

It’s been up to Cassandra’s leadership to “plan, encourage, develop and coordinate the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.”

The convention this weekend saw all living past Governors of PA including current Gov. Josh Shapiro, played a part at the convention.

Other special guests included entertainer and Allentown native Carson Kressley, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, and many other dignitaries. NEPA’s own Ryan Leckey served as MC for many of the scheduled events.

I never spent too much time inside the City of Philadelphia and didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I knew the experience would be great and to photo document it was the icing on top of the cake.

I can recall how the nation was during the 200th anniversary in 1976 and the organization backing the 250th will clearly tear the roof off the country.

When Cassandra was appointed in 2018, I thought 2026 was so far into the distance and why would you have an organization like America250 and America250PA start so early?

Over the years, Cassandra and her team have proven why, it is to education the youth on where are country came from to what we have now. It is about history; a rich history and remember, 250-years is a drop in the bucket compared to other countries in the world.

The country of San Marino is 1,720 years old, and the next oldest is Thailand, which was founded in 1237. So you see, our nation is a baby compared to others on earth.

I would think another facet of America250PA is to plan one heckuva birthday party in 2026.

Having one of our own running a state organization like America250PA and being named executive director at the age of 30 is quite the compliment.

Quote of the Week

“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” – Booker T. Washington

Thought of the Week

“It’s your outlook on life that counts. If you take yourself lightly and don’t take yourself too seriously, pretty soon you can find the humor in our everyday lives. And sometimes it can be a lifesaver.” – Betty White

Bumper Sticker

“Life is about making an impact, not making an income.” – Kevin Kruse