Mother Nature’s Calendar

The calendar said it was the first day of Autumn

this week.  Signs abound in our neck of the woods.

Colorful leaves on the neighbor’s sugar maple.

Buds are about to open on our Montauk daisies.

Apples keep falling off the trees.  The breeze

feels cooler now.  My eyes watch the beautiful

leaves of the red bud trees bend and move.

Hark!  What did we hear overhead just now?

The Canada geese are flying off.  They know

and felt the cold front which moved in.  Our

temperature has dropped a few degrees.

Time to pull out the colder weather wardrobe.

Mother Nature will unleash her colorful blankets

on our lawns soon.  Raking noises will be heard

along with the loud drone of mechanical

leaf blowers.  No one seems to have a particular

schedule to mow lawns and rake leaves.  Some

weekends, it seems, there is constant noise. Certain is,

these activities will cease with the first snow.

I can wait.  Autumn is my favorite time of year.

So colorful.  So tasty.  So many recipes to try.

Conversations with neighbors out walking their

dogs.  Soon, tiny whirlwinds will swirl the leaves

around our legs.  Our youngest neighbor next

door took my hand to get me to watch his

very own plastic leaf blower.  Imitation is

the highest form of flattery.  This young man

is well on the way to emulating his father.

It has been a long time since I held a small

hand.   The earth is preparing to take a snooze.

Falling leaves, rains, winds, and snow.  Spring

will herald renewal as birds return to nest.

It is enjoyable and gratifying to observed all

these activities in life.  Mother Nature is

a capable source of pleasure to us.  We

strive to be good stewards.  Meanwhile,

we shall try to make some applesauce,

harvest the herbs and last of the tomatoes.

The collards will be harvested and cooked

all winter.  Smiles of happiness abound.