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Dear Pumpkin,
Maybe cities like Denver or spots back East are happy to see you, pumpkin, but here in AZ, you're just a squashy slap in the face, a reminder of the fact that I can't wear a sweater for another month or two.
On September 19th, the high in Phoenix was 103 degrees; weather.com even had an extreme heat warning attached to the forecast. That doesn't sound like pumpkin season to me. Not to mention it was still actually summer; the first day of fall was September 23rd.
I remember the days when I looked forward to your arrival. I would count down the last days of September, waiting anxiously for that first taste of your sweet yet spicy flavors to cross my lips. And when it was time for you to go, dear pumpkin, I would have my last slice of pie and say farewell -- knowing you would be back the following October.
Well, not this year.
So maybe this year, pumpkin, you can think about bailing before the New Year arrives. And please, don't think about coming back until at least October First, so we have some time to notice you're gone. As they say, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."
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