Thoughts for a Coming Season

I saw them first on Saturday afternoon; then this morning in my own backyard. Maple leaves are changing color and it's still mid-August. I shouldn't be surprised as the red oaks in my yard have been dropping acorns of all sizes for the past couple of weeks. Yet, these signs of autumn always disturb my love affair with summer. Sitting outside covered with sunscreen and bug spray will soon be replaced with sweatshirts and bonfires.

Now that autumn has announced its arrival, I will be on the lookout for nature's preparations for winter. The reddish coats of the whitetail will turn taupe gray. The fawns will soon lose their spots. Squirrels will scamper up and down trees, hauling leaves, twigs and other found objects to the uppermost branches to build their winter homes. First the hummingbirds will disappear then geese, cranes and others will begin their southern journey. In time only the winter hearty will remain.

As for me, I will fill and hang the suet feeders that will provide food for the woodpeckers, nuthatches and chickadees. Fragile ceramic bird baths will be cleaned and stored, replaced by durable plastic ones. Autumn is my favorite time of the year to walk in the woods. Surrounded by vibrant colors, it is a photographer's paradise.

I often find myself pining for Arizona when the snow just doesn't stop and the cold air burns my face. Yet without the seasonal changes, I would not be surrounded by the mystery and beauty that comes from the cycle of spring to summer, fall to winter. Being alittle cold is a small price to pay.