Use fall for quality outdoor family time

At press-time, local meteorologists predicted that today’s forecast would give us temperatures in the high 80s and heat indexes ranging from 90-95 degrees.

But when one digs a little bit deeper into the forecast, it is easy to see that some much-needed help is on the way.

Saturday: mostly cloudy with a high of 76 and a low of 63 – a stiff breeze out of the Northeast.

Sunday: sunny with temperatures in the mid 70s.

Monday: much of the same.

Anyone that has lived in Louisiana knows that we enjoy a four-season calendar year. The trick of it all is understanding that the seasons just aren’t balanced evenly throughout our 12 months.

Sure, summer feels like it lasts seven or eight months within the state, and winter gobbles up two or three months as its own.

But we do have that handful of weeks before and after winter where there’s a beautiful feeling to the air and it feels amazing to be outdoors.

And that time is right now in Louisiana. Luckily for those in the Tri-parish area, there are a plethora of things to do in the coming weeks that will allow for family fun.

Start with the festivals.

There are a slew of festivals all month long in all three of our parishes.

Some provide child-based fun. Others are more geared for music buffs or food lovers.

But they are all worth the drive, as most are promoting worthwhile causes.

If carnival rides, live music and amazing food get old after a while, mid-to-late October is also the prime weeks for prep football season.

Our local teams are all in district play, which means that rivalry games will be splattered throughout the schedule.

If unable to wiggle free on a Friday night, go check out Nicholls on a Saturday afternoon. The Colonels are 4-2 on the season and are playing quality football.

So no matter where one turns, there’s something fun to do just around the corner.

So enjoy the beautiful weather the right way by spending time outdoors with the friends and family.

Don’t waste time, nor take tomorrow’s forecast for granted.

Before you know it, it’ll be 100 degrees once again.