Another Shawano County Fair is over, and schools across the state of Wisconsin are in full session. The calendar turned to September, and my thoughts turned to fall.
I spent part of today outside trying to harvest vegetables that aren’t producing as I would like. I know there is no threat of frost, but I thought I would try to pick some tomatoes to see if they would ripen better in the house.
The zucchini plants seem to be rotting in all the rainy weather, so I guess they are done. About the only things still producing are pickles and green peppers.
As I look around at the trees that surround me, I am amazed at how many are beginning to have splashes of autumn color. In fact, my lawn already contains several gold, orange and red leaves.
A month or so ago, someone asked me if I was heading south for the winter instead of staying in Wisconsin. She thought that last winter might have spooked me to seek a warmer climate. I assured her I had no plans to do so, that I can’t imagine what that would be like.
Of course, we all know snowbirds, people who go south for all or part of the winter season. Many times when they get back to Wisconsin, they complain about the weather they had down south. The main reason I can’t imagine going is, I would miss my family and friends, I would miss my home and I would miss the snow. Yes, even the snow, but not the ice—that is one part of winter I don’t like.
I know many people are dreading the end of summer and the coming of fall and winter. However, I enjoy the changing of the seasons. Each season has things that I love and other things that I tire of, and am ready to see the new season.
One part of fall that I don’t like are the days getting shorter. I actually enjoy the nip in the air and glorious trees, the pumpkins; even the bare trees don’t bother me. A walk along a leaf-laden path is one of my favorite fall pursuits. The crunch of leaves takes me back to my childhood when I took long walks with the dog, in contemplation of life as a child in the 1950s, when life was innocent.
I like to think of those times, when neighbors helped each other and actually knew each other. Those are the times before the advent of television. I have television in my house and sometimes enjoy watching it, but for the most part, there are very few shows that hold my interest.
I have old movies on DVD that I can watch the other times when I am home and TV is boring. For the most part, my life stays busy, with exercise, volunteering, and maybe a few hands of cards now and then.
With the turn of the calendar, there seems to also be a turn in the season, I am OK with that. I am ready for the nippy air and crunchy walks.
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