The segue from summer to autumn always catches me by surprise. Maybe it’s that I live in Texas and September remains warm.
Okay, hot.
Beginning in August and pronounced by early September, I notice the shortening of the days. My alarm beckons me to dark mornings, which lately sparkled in sunshine. The end of the day arrives unexpectedly and my garden is swathed in darkness.
Autumn blooms are budding, but just so; foliage won’t change until late November, into December. Our second spring–the magnificent bloom period of late September, October, and November–compensates for our hellish July and August.
Inland sea oats, Chasmanthium latifolium, are some of the first to herald change, the promise of autumn. Even if it’s not yet autumn.
And I notice.
I’m also remembering that day, in 2001: the blue sky, then smoke and avalanche. The broken planes, the buildings rubbled. Remembering those who died and those who helped, and lamenting so much of what’s happened since.
Joining today with Anna and her Wednesday Vignette. Check out her beautiful Flutter and Hum for musings of various sorts.
My Gardener Says... 
Change is evident up here too. I’m glad I rigged up lights this year – I’ve used them a lot lately. And, can you believe it – we’ve had rain here and there! The summer was what could be considered “the old normal”, meaning temps mostly in the 80’s. Even so, rain in August and September is almost unheard of up here! It’s so strange, but that particular oddity, I very much appreciated. The garden looks so much better! And yes… the tragedy of 9/11 only got worse over time, it seems. So many bad decisions… My husband and I started watching Oliver Stone’s “Untold History of the United States” a few days ago, and it is FASCINATING! Sadly, history is (and has been) repeating itself, but some key manipulations in the 40’s and 50’s were absolutely shocking to see. I had no idea…. Highly recommended, if you haven’t seen it already. EVERYONE should watch this before the 2020 election. It is just FULL of aha-moments, and déja vu’s… Check it out – it’s on Netflix.
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Rain is a good thing. We’re finally cooling down a bit and there are scattered rain storms around, so I think we’ve turned the corner.
We seem to make the same, or similar, stupid mistakes–over and over. And for now, we’re devoid of thoughtful, intelligent leadership.
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Change certainly is afoot. I’m home reading blog posts because — it’s been raining! It’ll be dry enough to head out shortly, but we had good rain, starting about 7 a.m., and may well have had a half-inch. The shortening days have become noticeable, too, and the sunset, which is visible from my desk in summer, is quite different: the sun’s moved almost 90 degrees toward the south. The equinox is coming!
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The equinox is on its way and I say ‘huzzah!’ to that! We’re getting some rain. I was gone most of the day (in Round Rock)–had buckets there, but there was also rain at my house, too. Finally!!
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It took me years to notice the subtle change to Fall here. All I felt was the heat. I am also remembering that day in 2001. Our skies were also crystal blue here and then they became silent.
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The heat sort of obliterates everything else, doesn’t it??
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Yes.
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First, I would like to agree with you on the surprise of autumn.
Second, I remember the horror too well with feelings afresh every September 11.
I have been blue today. The things we humans do baffle me.
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Autumn surprise is nice, though. It’s good to welcome change.
Sometimes, people suck.
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Great vignette! My Sea Oats are still green, but we’ve had so much rain–it’s been a very wet growing season. But autumn is definitely starting to show her colors in other ways up here in Wisconsin. Some of the tree leaves are changing, the days are definitely shorter, and nuts (and squirrels) are all over the ground. 😉
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Thanks, Beth!We also had a wet early season, so many of my perennials are taller than they might normally be. We’ve finally started getting rain, though of course, in Texas style, it comes down in buckets, instead of nice and gentle.
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This is the first I’ve heard of your second spring. That’s good to know. My wife takes occasional work trips to Austin and one of these days I may go with her.
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There are some lovelies which bloom up in these months–native grasses, bloomers–it’s a nice little gift after the summer months. I should add that there is plenty abloom in the summer, too, it’s just…so hot, for so long! Forgive the whining..:)
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Just past the middle of September is when I usually begin to notice slightly cooler overnight low temperatures. Let’s hope this coming week fits the pattern.
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We’re almost there…:)
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Weather Underground currently predicts a reasonable chance of rain over the period from Tuesday through Friday, followed by an overnight low of 71°.
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