August

When I was a kid in Maine, I remember judging how much summer vacation we had left by the flowers in the fields. If the Queen Anne's Lace was ramping up, it was time to start getting anxious. And once the Goldenrod bloomed, we were doomed to a bus ride in the near future.

I noticed on my walk last night that we're coming up on that "late summer warning" stage of vegetation. The Queen Anne's lace is everywhere in white summer drifts, and the Goldenrod is in bud. In the evening, the light makes the fields of grain just glow. The smaller tree fruits are ripening, and the wild grasses are starting to get that leggy, woody, almost spent appearance.

I love Fall, with it's warm colors and cool nights and ripe fruits and all. Also, it's birthday season for me, so I've been conditioned by years of timely gifts to appreciate that particular time of year.

But oh, I am just not sure I can even think about another Wisconsin winter just yet.