The arrival of the long holiday weekend means that the fall season is squarely upon us, the time of year that has special meaning for all of us in New England.
With the weatherman (as of this writing) forecasting a near-perfect weekend weather-wise, we urge as many of our readers as possible to partake of the simple pleasure of getting outdoors to enjoy the crisp, clean air and the autumn colors before the colder temperatures arrive.
A nice hike, whether along the shore of the Cape, or in the Berkshires or the mountains of northern New England, or even as nearby as the Blue Hills in Milton, provides an opportunity to enjoy the natural world, far away from the noise of our daily lives, that will do wonders for our emotional and physical well-being.
One of our favorite things to do with our kids when they were young was to go apple-picking, which is in prime season at many farms that are a short drive from the city.
We’ve always viewed the Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend as the last chance to take a mental and physical break ahead of the freneticism of the upcoming holiday season — which will be here before we know it.
An expensive winter ahead
The war with Iran already has cost U.S. consumers more than $100 billion in direct costs for our gasoline purchases. That’s about $800 per family since the war began in February — and that figure is increasing every day that the war drags on.
However, what we are paying at the pump because of this so-called war is nothing compared to the coming shock of heating oil prices for the 20% of Mass. residents who use oil to heat their homes.
The average price for a gallon of heating oil already is a jaw-dropping $6.15 per gallon, which represents a staggering 75% increase above the average price of $3.52 per gallon at this time last year.
This means that a fill-up of 200 gallons for a family’s oil tank will cost about $1250, a figure that is completely unaffordable for many and that will strain the budgets for most.
Natural gas prices are not predicted to increase as much, but the 50% of Mass. residents who heat their homes with natural gas are expected to see an increase of up to 15% in their heating bills this winter.
Even if the war with Iran were to end tomorrow, the significant disruptions to the world’s energy supply chains that already have occurred would not bring significant relief from the current elevated prices for gasoline, diesel, and home heating oil.
In short, there is no relief in sight — and there is the likely prospect (depending on weather around the country and more supply shocks) of prices going even higher.
The only hope we have for making it through the winter heating season without emptying our wallets is to pray for a warmer-than-normal winter. Even so, we still should plan on lowering our thermostats — and wearing heavy sweaters — in our homes.