Late August Morning

The mornings start green-golden, as we walk Faerygirl down the driveway to meet the bus. Heavy in the lazy fog drifts the scent of crushed walnuts. Sometimes, there is a hint of our musky skunk neighbor. Every day, there is more yellow at the edges of the forest, a few more leaves on the ground. The song is different, too, no longer the wild birdsong of spring. This music consists of soft cricket chirping, the gurgling cackle of a disturbed screech owl, the sharp keen of hunting hawks, and occasional cawing from angry crows. As the golden sunrise mist dissipates, a September-blue sky reveals itself and the cicadas begin their buzzing. Squirrelboy expresses disgruntlement with the burrs that stick everywhere - clothes, cats, blankets, soft toys: anything that comes in contact with the burrs that come in with us or the cats. Berries begin ripening; I see the deep blue-purple of Solomon's seal and the red of false Solomon's-seal. I anticipate a pawpaw harvest in the next week or so.

Sunflower Month

We have moved beyond the showy time of the lilies and are now in the season of sunflowers. Hints of gold touch the fields and trees. Pollen hangs in the moisture-laden air. Even though it's been unusually cool and wet this year, now the heat has arrived. Corn and zucchini fill the market stands, but everyone I know is having trouble with tomatoes. It's been too cold and wet for them to be happy. Perhaps now in this August heat they will take off. Already we are gleaning honey from Aphrodite and Beatrice. We look forward to a large honey harvest later on. We can see and feel how heavy the super frames are getting. I was also able to put up some beans. I love the Royal Burgundy bean plants, with their purple flowers, stems, and pods. So pretty, and so practical! We have found these purplish plants to be hardier than their green cousins, more resistant to disease and insect damage. They are tasty, too. When you blanch them, the purple goes into the water and the beans turn green. I grew dwarf sunflowers in the garden and big ones in front of the beehives. Their happy yellow faces attract beneficial insects and bring a smile to all who look at them. I hope that later on in the year, as the seeds ripen, we shall see flocks of goldfinches settling on their strong stalks. It is amazing to see how well the showy males are camoflauged when they are feeding on sunflowers - even their gaudy yellow feathers blend in!