Late Summer

 

                             The last of the sweet 100's and pink roses through the deck rail.

I love the late summer days, those last few days in September before the calendar says Autumn begins.  Around here the humidity usually drops, the sun is at a noticeably lower angle, shadows are longer, days get shorter and the first cool nights and mornings feel refreshing rather than too cold.  It’s funny how the cooler temperatures feel refreshing in September but too cold in March. I guess I just welcome the change of seasons.

               Without the current pandemic situation, I’d be back at work at the beginning of September, getting lunch out to the students in our district, the high school students for the past 10 years.  I remember, though, that just when I had to return to work, the weather turned to the season I most enjoy and as I climbed behind the wheel to drive myself to work I sighed and looked wistfully at the lawn chairs, wishing I could stay home, pour another cup of coffee and enjoy the sights, sounds, and scents of the late summer mornings.  Well, my current and for the foreseeable future is that I can do just that.  I don’t like the reason that I’m free to do that now, but I sure do appreciate being able to do it!  There is a different sound to the chirping of the birds, a hushed quality to the sound of the traffic from the highway, and the neighborhood as well.  Leaves on the shrubs begin to turn colors before the trees, late blooms on the roses begin to fade, and there is sharpness to the breeze. The last of the summer tomatoes seem extra sweet, as if they have soaked up all the goodness of long sunny days. I enjoy it all.  Getting reacquainted with my long sleeve shirts, for me, is something I welcome.  The days feel less frenzied, perhaps because it’s time to turn my attention to indoor things, making sure the heaters are dust free so we can turn them on that first morning when the outdoor temperatures are in the 30’s and the house feels cold, cooking pots of chili, soups, and stew, and planning out the upcoming holidays—Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  Yes, they will all be here before we know it.  Late summer feels like a new beginning, but maybe that’s because for so many years it signaled a return to routine, my girls going to school and me returning to work.  I guess I got so used to it that it’s hard to change now, even if I wanted to, which really I don’t.  Autumn and Winter are times of slowing down (despite the holidays) and an easier pace with time for rest and reflection.  By the time I’m tired of the cold weather, I’ll be ready for longer days and warmer breezes and the rejuvenation of the outdoors.

               Each season brings a chance to change things; live at a different pace.  This year I can fully appreciate the slower place the end of Summer brings.  I plan to enjoy it.