The best month of the year? It's October, of course

We don’t often editorialize strongly on behalf of green grass, sunshine or happy faces. Everybody loves those things, so there’s no reason to start a discussion on such topics in hopes of exchanging ideas that might lead to greater understanding and resolution.

But here’s some good news we feel strongly about that might not be obvious to everyone unless they take the time to consider our position:

October is the best month of the year.

We know some will argue December is better because of Christmas, or June is better because school’s out and families are able to go on vacation.

Those people can make fair arguments (that’s actually in August around here), but they’re not considering all the glories of the year’s 10th month.

Ten reasons October is the best month of the year here on the High Plains:

• The weather. It’s not (usually) too cold or too hot. We had a chilly spell, but most October days are room temperature, with little wind and few mosquitoes and flies buzzin’ around.

• Sports. Football rivalries are heating up. Baseball has its playoffs. And it’s warm enough/cool enough for a little golf, basketball, even hockey.

• Halloween. What can we say? We like candy.

• Pumpkin-spice flavored everything is back. We’re not sure where it goes after Valentine’s Day, or why it goes away, but things do feel warm and snuggly and smell like home when it’s in the air.

• Homecoming. Even if you’ve never been a king or queen, it’s great to get back to Logan or Clayton or wherever you’re from and catch up.

• Sweaters. Better wear a sweater to Homecoming. The weather’s not that nice.

• It’s colorful outside. The grass is still mostly green, but the trees start to sport golden, yellow and orange leaves. (And they’re mostly still on the trees, which is another reason October is better than November.)

• Pumpkin carving. This is not the same as Halloween. This is art, the way some locals are doing it these days.

• Did we mention there are no flies and mosquitoes buzzin’ around? Yeah, that’s worth two points.

• And finally, October kicks off the holiday season. We know people who start decorating for Christmas right after the lights go out on the last trick-or-treater. October’s our favorite month, but November-December can be in this conversation since they give us Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Enjoy, citizens.

Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Clovis Media Inc. editorial board, which includes Editor David Stevens and Publisher Rob Langrell.