THE LAST DAY OF SUMMER

I always hate to see it go.  Another summer has passed.  Tomorrow is the first day of autumn.  Although we have a few more warm days to look forward to, the calendar tells me that it's soon time to unpack my sweaters.  Weeks ago I felt that first chill of autumn.  Last night I heard that chirping sound in the woods that always begins at this time of year.  I call them crickets, but they're probably not crickets.  I'm not sure what they are, maybe frogs, but they're one of the first signs of fall. 

MY FAVORITE SUMMER SPOT

I noticed another sign today, a small patch of leaves in the woods below our house is turning from green to red. The view from my kitchen window is our back yard lined with a dense area of trees.  I look out that window every day as I'm washing dishes.  That's where our bluebird boxes are too.  I put them there so I could watch the bluebirds while I'm doing my least favorite chore.  Every now and then a bluebird flies up to our deck and sits on the banister, which is just feet away from my dish washing post.  I love when that happens.  It's as if that bird flies up to visit me.  Maybe he knows that he wouldn't have a home if not for me.  The bluebird boxes were a gift from someone I wrote a story for.

CATS LOVE SUMMER TOO.

The sun is different.  It seems less intense than it was all summer.  I guess it's hitting earth at a different angle, so it's warmth and light are much softer than the summer sun.  There's always one day each summer when I notice the sun has a different feel to it.  That day came much sooner than usual this year.  I wasn't ready for it, but I guess I never am.  Who wants to say goodbye to summer and all its pleasures of lush green grass, fresh fruit, flowers, family gatherings, and warm fun.

THE LAST DAISY OF SUMMER

But I do love this time of year.  I love to bite into a juicy McIntosh apple fresh from the Friday Farmers Market.  I love bringing home that first bag of caramels and dipping those apples in gooey golden goodness.  Caramel apples are heaven on a stick.  Another great thing about autumn is the local fall festivals and fairs.  The annual craft fair in Hegins, PA has become quite the event.  Creative people fascinate me, and there's no shortage of them at this fair, which gets bigger each year.   I usually come home with a fall wreath for my front door or some other decorative item for my home, but this year we decided on something more practical, a hand made corn broom.  My husband says it will last forever.

I'm not sure that I would choose for summer to last forever.  I love three out of the four seasons we see here in Pennsylvania.  Even winter has its charms.  It just tends to lose its charm after about six weeks.  It's the lack of sunshine and warmth that gets to me.  Sitting in the sun with a strawberry daquiri and a good book  is my favorite place to be.  I guess I'll have to dust off that sun lamp we bought.  I could set up a cozy chair in my room, buy a bag of white sand and place it in a tub at my feet.  I could dig out my CD of ocean sounds and pretend I'm there.  Maybe all it takes to get through winter is a little creativity.

SHE THINKS THIS IS HER THRONE

Today is the last day of summer and I'm trying to stay positive.  Maybe I'll go unpack my sweaters.  I kind of miss my sweaters.  But I'll really miss that praying mantis that showed up at my bedroom window so many times this summer.  I'll miss the hummingbirds and butterflies too.  I'll miss my vegetable amd herb garden.  And driving to Rita's for Italian ice.  I'll miss painting my toe nails, wearing flip flops and open toe shoes.  Sitting out on the deck at night with candles burning.  I'll miss campfires in the back yard.  Roasting marshmallows, making mountain pies and looking up at a summer evening sky.  Summer is a wondrous time when everything comes to life, including me.  That's why I hate to see it go.

ONE OF MANY VISITS FROM MY FAVORITE INSECT