I was driving home from work last week with my truck windows open completely enjoying the amazing weather we were having – temperature in the 70s, little humidity, a slight breeze. It all made for an absolutely gorgeous drive home. I started thinking about how much I loved this time of year and how a lot of people talk about Fall being their favorite season of the year, which I wholeheartedly agree with. Then, as so often happens, a curious question popped into my head: if I were to take it a step further and rank the months of the year from my most favorite to my least favorite, what would that list look like? Well, here it is.
#1: October
No question about it, October is my favorite month of the year. The summer heat has begun to subside, there is a crispness to the morning air, and evening arrives sooner. Sporadic pops of color in the early part of the month signal what will hopefully become a color explosion within a few short weeks. Everything about October reminds me of my childhood when I would ride home on the bus after school knowing I had only an hour or two to play outside before it got “too” dark, as if there really is such a thing as too dark when you’re that age. Oh, to be that young again!
A colorful Autumn tree, Crowley’s Ridge State Park, Arkansas, October 2023
#2: November
If this were a race, November comes in second to October in a photo finish. This is the month where Fall usually takes full flight as the trees erupt in reds, yellows, and oranges. The temperatures are getting cooler but are still pleasant, and the days continue to shorten. As the month begins to wind down, the leaves fall to the ground creating that wonderful crunching sound that signifies Fall is near its end, and Winter is fast approaching. I wish October and November could be combined into one long month. We could call it “Octovember.”
A path through an Autumn forest, Arkansas, November 2017
#3: September
A transition month, and a wonderful transition it is. The heat of summer begins to subside, the shortening of the days is becoming more apparent, and ever so slight hints of Fall are in the air. Let the good times begin!
Lavender grows among the shade trees, Garvan Woodland Gardens, Arkansas, September 2013
#4: March
Number four on my list is March. After enduring the harsh cold of winter, Spring starts to make its appearance. The days are beginning to warm nicely, and the landscape is beginning to show signs of renewed life although Winter still rear its ugly head from time to time. Of course, this change from the cold of Winter to the warmth of Spring brings severe weather with it (tornados in my part of the world), but, to quote the band Poison, every rose has its thorn.
Trees blossoming in the early Spring, Arkansas, March 2023
#5: April
Spring is now in full bloom, and everything takes on a sense of freshness and new life with a rainbow of colors everywhere you look. From greens to yellows to pinks to lavenders to purples, you name it, it’s there.
Historic stone mill in Spring, Arkansas, April 2014
#6: May
Another transition month, May reflects the very end of Spring and moves into the earliest stages of Summer. The weather is still nice with mostly sunny days, but the temperatures are beginning to get warmer signaling the start of Summer and its unbearable heat.
Blossom of a Magnolia Tree, Arkansas, May 2020
#7: December
December marks the beginning of Winter with cold days that aren’t yet bone-chilling. The trees have lost most of their leaves, but Autumn colors have not completely vanished, yet. It’s still nice to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer, but the ever-present specter of the even colder temperatures to come cannot be ignored.
The last vestiges of Autumn, Arkansas, December 2023
#8: February
After the cold of December and January, February gives the first indication that Spring is just around the corner. It’s definitely not time to put the winter coat back in the closet just yet, but Spring begins to advertise its upcoming appearance. The result is an interesting contrast between the newness of Spring and the bareness of Winter.
Daffodils bloom in a winter field, Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas, February 2017
#9: June
Summer is beginning to sink its teeth into the year, and the thermometer proves it. Those cooler days of May are fading fast and, by the end of the month, Spring will have become a distant memory.
A country road lined by pecan trees, Arkansas, June 2018
#10: January
This is the heart of our Winter. Bone-chilling temperatures made even worse by any kind of breeze. Snow and ice that makes the roads almost undriveable. When the alarm goes off in the morning on days like that, all I want to do is turn off, get back under the blankets, and not come out for two more months. Oh, to be a bear and sleep my way through Winter! But, when I can get out without worrying about sliding into a ditch, or worse, there are some amazing opportunities waiting to be photographed.
Ice-covered trees along the Buffalo National River, Arkansas, January 2022
#11: July
Where January is too cold to enjoy, July is the exact opposite – too hot and humid to enjoy. However, while I don’t mind (too much) going out in the cold to photograph, the July heat saps any motivation to get out there. The only way to make it remotely bearable is to get out very early, often before the sun comes up. Even then, though, it’s still not the most enjoyable experience. Come on, September, October, and November . . .where are you?
The sun rises over Lake Maumelle, Arkansas, July 2014
#12: August
Just when I think it can’t get any worse than July, August shows up. The only good thing I can say about August is that it means September and the beginning of Fall are probably just weeks away. Once again, the very early morning is the only way to make it tolerable.
A barn stands in a field of hay rolls with a thunderstorm forming on the horizon, Arkansas, August 2014
There you have it. My ranking of the months of the year. I’m sure your list would differ from mine and, frankly, my rankings this week may not be the same next week. I’d love to hear how you would rank the months, so leave a comment and tell me what your rankings would be.
That was fun to read and look at — I think you’ve got some pretty nice photos out of every month, despite your preferences. 🙂 It makes me think about my own ranking, and I wonder whether I could actually separate it into months like you did. Thanks for putting this together!
Thank you, Alex. I’m glad you enjoyed reading it. The top two months and the bottom two months were pretty easy to figure out, at least for me. The middle eight, frankly, were a real toss up. In fact, I could look at this in a few days and rearrange a couple of them and then re-rank them again a couple of days after that. But, I guess that’s the fun of ranking things. . .they never stay the same! What was really nice about this little “thought experiment” was it gave me something to ponder on my drive home. But, now that I think about it, that probably wasn’t the best time to be doing that! 😮