RubySoho
Winston
Waning Days of Summer
August 31st 2007 21:10
These are sad days for me. Tomorrow is September 1st, and I must face the facts. Summer is very nearly over. Already, fiery orange leaves are appearing here and there, jumping like flame from one tree to the next. For now the temperatures are still pleasant, the air still smells warm and earthy, and the sunlight still shines until well past supper time. But I am not fooled. Soon, all the trees will be ablaze with red and gold. The New England nights will have a nip in the air and the wind will carry scents of apples, dried leaves and chimney fires. It will whisper of winter's coming.
While spring may be the season of birth, summer is the season of Life. Music fills the days, played by an orchestra of skill unmatched by humanity. The gentle rustle of soft green leaves fluttering in a warm breeze, the twitter of nesting birds, the percussion of thunder....magical sounds, all of them. Perfume of the highest quality is in the air as well, be it that of freshly mowed grass, or lilac, or of honeysuckle at twilight. In the sky, familiar constellations of stars glitter in the distant night, while fireflies flicker in imitation among the trees. The chirping of crickets. The shrill keening of cicadas. The shrieks of children playing outside and the smell of savory foods on outdoor grills....each of these things hallmarks of the simple pleasures of summer.
Now, as August fades away we enter Fall's threshold. Soon it will come time to pick apples and carve pumpkins. Crisp, shriveled leaves will crunch underfoot with every step. The chorus of insects that sings all summer night will fade, replaced by the melancholy stillness of autumn. Fires will be kindled in chimneys as a last few, tenacious leaves cling dryly to their branches. Winter will come then as it always does, implacable and strong.
As the short days and long nights of Winter pass by, I will look forward ever more eagerly to Summer's return until finally the trees burst forth with life again. There are times when I yearn for summer to stretch into eternity, for winter to forever remain at bay. But then, would I love it as much? Would those few treasured months soon become mundane? Quite possibly. For that reason, at least, I am thankful that summer is coming to a close. As it dwindles down, I am already longing for its return, anticipating my joy. I could not ask for anything better than this, the sweet promise of better days to come.
While spring may be the season of birth, summer is the season of Life. Music fills the days, played by an orchestra of skill unmatched by humanity. The gentle rustle of soft green leaves fluttering in a warm breeze, the twitter of nesting birds, the percussion of thunder....magical sounds, all of them. Perfume of the highest quality is in the air as well, be it that of freshly mowed grass, or lilac, or of honeysuckle at twilight. In the sky, familiar constellations of stars glitter in the distant night, while fireflies flicker in imitation among the trees. The chirping of crickets. The shrill keening of cicadas. The shrieks of children playing outside and the smell of savory foods on outdoor grills....each of these things hallmarks of the simple pleasures of summer.
Now, as August fades away we enter Fall's threshold. Soon it will come time to pick apples and carve pumpkins. Crisp, shriveled leaves will crunch underfoot with every step. The chorus of insects that sings all summer night will fade, replaced by the melancholy stillness of autumn. Fires will be kindled in chimneys as a last few, tenacious leaves cling dryly to their branches. Winter will come then as it always does, implacable and strong.
As the short days and long nights of Winter pass by, I will look forward ever more eagerly to Summer's return until finally the trees burst forth with life again. There are times when I yearn for summer to stretch into eternity, for winter to forever remain at bay. But then, would I love it as much? Would those few treasured months soon become mundane? Quite possibly. For that reason, at least, I am thankful that summer is coming to a close. As it dwindles down, I am already longing for its return, anticipating my joy. I could not ask for anything better than this, the sweet promise of better days to come.
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Comment by Wendi
Wishing I had a fireplace,
W
Comment by Winston
Small Thoughts on Big Questions
Thanks for stopping by, it's good to see you!
Comment by Onesnap
Beautiful entry. Thank you.
I am a winter girl. I love to snowshoe and snowmobile. Fall to me is the Gateway to what I love best. Even though I love winter, fall is a special time for me. I have so many fond memories of hiking in the Pioneer Valley and taking may fall photos of the Oxbow, farms, and other valley highlights in the fall.
We tend to vacation in the fall and our 1x year vacation is sneaking up. We like to go away when all of the kids are back in school. We work so hard all year just to get to the fall..so when it arrives it signals time to relax (finally). It's also the best time of the harvest (we picked 27.5 lbs of grapes today and also got our first acorn squash, 1 gourd, tomatoes, and more beans than we know what to do with.
Don't get me wrong, summer has its bliss. 3 meals/day on the patio, flip flops worn to work, and lazy summer afternoons spent reading on the screened in porch. But to me summer=work. Summer=yardwork and lots of it. Entire days spent clipping, trimming, and hauling branches to the dump. In the fall we rake leaves and the town picks them up for free (okay, as part of our taxes) but still...
I'm an odd one that way. I really don't like summer that much. Fall and winter are what makes it worthwhile to live here.
Comment by Jeff Musall
Comment by Harry
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Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
Had a scary moment there....I thought you were gone too! I couldnt find you in the list, then used the search engine and got nothing! Had to track you down through comments!
Thank 'God' you're still here.....Got to have something decent to read!