My first summer in the Heart of Dixie has been quite the educational experience.

I&8217;ve learned to never go outside in shorts out here without covering myself in a thick layer of bug spray.

I&8217;ve learned that sometimes it&8217;s better to let Alabama and Auburn fans talk all they want before the season starts without agreeing with or questioning them.

And also, no matter where you live, fall is always the best time of the year.

As pennant races, cup chases and SEC rivalries really heat up, the calendar year may be winding down, but for many, things are just getting started.

It&8217;s not just about the sports calendar, though.

Schools are back in session, and towns are once again bustling with crowds back from summer vacation, and if you&8217;re not a couch-side quarterback, there&8217;s always the major networks beginning to air their fall TV lineups to look forward to.

Fall will be a nice break from this heat wave we&8217;ve been suffering through.

The summer heat that makes this humidity so hard to get used to has somewhat cooled, and even let me turn off my air conditioner a few times.

That of course, can mean only one thing &045; the holidays are right around the corner.

Which also means that if I can make it through my first hurricane season, I&8217;m already looking forward to my first fried turkey experience for thanksgiving, and my first Alabama-Auburn game, even if I don&8217;t make it out of the parking lot for the tailgate.

Even though we may be losing an hour of sleep this week to daylight-saving time, it&8217;s for a good cause because Halloween and homecomings are almost here and I can almost smell the pumpkin pie and candy