Have you noticed…people everywhere seem to be desperate?  Desperate to squeeze every last moment of outside enjoyment into our narrowing schedules.  Summer's painfully hot / dry routine seems to have exaggerated this growing annual ritual and suddenly we are aware that in just a few short months it will be too cold and dark to relax on the cushy patio furniture.

Walkability  The art of “cocooning” coupled with the increased “walkability” of our community has only served to fuel Americas’ fashionable love affair with outdoor living.  Competing bike and hike trails and the proliferation of parks of all sorts are a stark contrast to life a brief decade ago.  Especially in Carmel.  Not convinced?  Next sunny Friday or Saturday afternoon, take a stroll in the Carmel Arts District, SoBro or Mass Ave in Indy. Of course other cities have caught the buzz too.  Fishers, Westfield and Noblesville are all fans of this Jeff Speck-inspired termination of suburban sprawl.

 Prolong the Fun   Begging, pleading and praying won’t scare off the realities of autumn. However there are several useful strategies to manufacture extra backyard moments. Will it be as comfy as gorgeous October evenings? Sorry. But imagine how compelling your patio space could be with a cozy fire feature and inspiring night lighting system. From the simple to elaborate, these luxuries can create resort like gatherings.

Minor Adjustment, Big Impact  That’s what fire and light can do. And if that’s not enough (and the budget allows) let’s build a lanai. Yep, there’s still time.  These roof structures are great at capturing the warmth and creating destination.  This confident structure, married with fire and light, can buy another 4 weeks of enjoyment on each side of winter.  Throw in a few episodes of House and Glee and suddenly the January / February stretch doesn’t seem too painful.  Remember, there is always prayer.

Off with the TV  Get outside and squeeze.  Open a book and a bottle of wine.  Fire up the grill, walk a trail and hug every possible morsel of joy before it’s time to hibernate.