Crock’s Thoughts

Some people answer this like it’s no big deal—“spring because of the flowers!” or “winter because I’m a ski-addicted lunatic with no circulation in my toes!” But for me, the answer is complicated. Like trying to choose your favorite style of pizza, or which child to love more—just kidding… it’s the one who brings snacks.

Let’s break it down.

Summer: Sunshine, Sweat, and the Topless Jeep Life

I love summer! It’s when I can finally dust off the Jeep, go topless (the Jeep, not me—let’s not scare the neighbors), and soak up all that glorious vitamin D like a solar-powered party animal. The days are long, the grills are fired up, and everything smells like sunscreen and fresh cut grass.

Sure, summer turns my shirt into a sponge, but I soak it all in like a beach bum on a mission. The air smells like cookouts and lake days—and honestly, it just feels great!

Autumn: A Pumpkin-Flavored Fever Dream

Then autumn saunters in like a Pinterest board on legs. The leaves start turning, the air gets crisp, and suddenly I’m shoving a camera in every tree’s face like a caffeinated squirrel with a Nikon. This is photography season! Every walk turns into a National Geographic shoot. Every beer has pumpkin in it. Even the cat starts smelling vaguely of cinnamon.

I wear flannel. I pretend shorter days are charming. I stock up on snacks with names like “Maple-Glazed Harvest Crunch.”

And then… I remember the cold is coming… or in the words of John Snow, “Winter is coming!”

Winter: The Betrayal

Winter, you absolute traitor! You slide in after all the pumpkin-scented joy and punch me in the face with darkness at 4 p.m. and snow in places snow should not go. Suddenly, I can’t find my left glove. The Jeep is buried. And I have to put on so many layers I walk like a marshmallow that’s lost the will to live.

Winter is like the coworker who shows up uninvited, stays too long, eats all your snacks, and then slips on your icy driveway and tries to sue you.

So… What’s My Favorite?

If I had to pick one?

It’s a photo-finish between sun-drenched summer freedom and pumpkin-drenched autumn magic. But I’ll give the edge to autumn—not because it’s better, but because it tries so hard to make you love it. It’s like that overachieving middle child of the seasons: beautiful, cozy, creative—and just a little desperate because it knows winter is right behind it, sharpening its icy shovel.

But the second I feel that first snowflake hit my nose, I’m already dreaming of July!