Sunrise

A couple of days ago, I was treated to this beautiful sunrise.

 It is warm again. Today's high is supposed to be 80 degrees, but it feels much warmer.

Summer's Close

We took a brief walk on a local trail to soak in the last of summer.

The only sounds were the insects: cicadas and grasshoppers. I didn't hear any birds.

I noted fat milkweed pods ripening. One had dried and split open, spilling fluffy seeds out. One was full of red and black milkweed bugs.

Some grasses were drying, and turning a beautiful shade of umber. And the Asters have appeared. These have always been harbingers of fall for me.

Sunflowers were still flowering, but I saw many seedheads.

Just a few more days until the official start of fall!!!

A chill in the air

How can it be the middle of September already? Somehow, August slipped by.

We have been very cool- the lows last week were not record-breaking, but low enough to cause my basil to break out in black, unhappy spots. The birds are now few and far between in the yard. Gone are the mixed-species flocks that fought over the small birdbath. It is very quiet now, except for the insistent calling of a blue jay.

And it is chilly. Layering a sweater or jacket is now a must. There is the smell of fall in the air: crispness and peat-scented humus. Fall has always been my favorite season.

The grass is still green, but some trees are showing a speck of color in the leaves. I am looking forward to the fall colors, especially in the maples.