There's been a shift in the air. Have you felt it, too? August 1st is the time of year many nature religions celebrate the year's first harvest. There are three harvest festivals during the old Wheel of the Year. August 1st, September 21st, and October 31st, each with its own many names; but all involve harvesting. A nearby farmer grew oatstraw this summer and harvested his bountiful, golden crop the day before August 1st. August 1st in our household was spent harvesting sweet corn, tomatoes, and green beans.
Sunrise is nearly a half hour later now. Darker mornings, darker days. Wonderful amounts of rain have fallen in the past two weeks creating a beautiful rolling morning mist almost daily here near the lake. It is breathtaking to wake just at dawn and see the area fields covered in a low misty fog.
Possibly due to this summer's drought, many species of trees are beginning to go dormant for the season. Young maples are turning bright orange and yellow, as are the paper birch with yellow leaves. Some of the prairies in the area are just starting to dry, which in years past I've come to discover this is normal time for the prairies to begin their decline. Starting closer to the earth, their tall green stems are browning. On the cooler mornings there has been a slight hint of autumn smell left in the prairies and fields after the fog.
Summer is getting old now. We were blessed with a few cooler than normal days, and I'm afraid those days and crisp nights ruined us Autumn People for the remaining summer weeks. Fall fever is in full force upon me now! A few apple stands have popped up here and there. Soon it will be time to pick apples to make delicious home-made apple butter, sauce and cider!
With the summer coming to a close over the next couple of weeks, we'll be gathering more fruits and vegetables from area farms to freeze and use in the coming fall and winter months. Turkey and deer hunting is also right around the corner and the city's archery ranges are busy nearly every early evening as hunters and huntresses get ready for the wild hunt.
Beautifully put, as always.
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