An October full moon, an owl hooting late into the evening, Canadian geese flying erratically but mostly south, and the soybean field turning from bright green to gold. These are a few of my favorite things about this time of the year.
Every season has its joys although this year I could have easily done without July and August. Typically my grandchildren like to play in the farm pond. Too much algae turning the water “green” and with water levels dropping far too quickly, I forbid pond activity for their safety and my sanity.
Likely I could come up with some thoughts about the goodness of summer, but I don’t want to strain my brain too much. Instead, I’m pondering the idea of how autumn living is a natural way to combat inflation. Here’s a few ways I suggest we save on the cost of utilities and fuel.
Switch over to heat on the temperature panel only when the frost on the pumpkin turns the pumpkin into a block of ice or until thermal underwear and sweat pants are not enough to keep the tips of fingers from turning white.
Stop mowing, but stay at home making movies on your smart phone of the deer eating the acorns and what little green grass is left. Be sure to include the squirrel running back and forth burying nuts.
Stop watering the lawn, gather grass seed like big and little blue stem and go/grow native next year.
Ok, probably enough of this nonsense, though I do plan to switch over part of my rather large backyard to native wildflowers and grasses. And, I don’t kid around about the benefit of wearing thermal underwear.
From my observations, the birds began singing again when cooler temperatures arrived. I, too, have more energy than a month ago and am actually enjoying cutting firewood. I’m seeing fewer reptiles as they begin their journey to hibernation.
A prolific crop of acorns may very well supplement the lack of soybeans and corn normally stolen by wildlife. The usual late spring freeze apparently did not occur this year as I have acorns dropping from trees I did not even know are oaks and an abundance of pears being eaten by humans, deer, and horses.
The prairie grasses may not be quite as tall as in previous years, but they still have spectacular color. I think of the song, "America the Beautiful," when I see the grasses swaying in the breeze. The song really refers to amber waves of grain, but prairie grass, in my opinion, is patriotic too.
Speaking of color, I can’t begin to describe my disappointment in the fall tree foliage. Normally my three large maple trees would be aglow with red leaves, but thus far the color change is from green to brown. I am told and it does seem to usually turn out to be true that a dry summer means beautiful fall foliage. Dry is one thing, but very, very dry is another. Disappointing it is, but disastrous it is not as to tree foliage.
Weather-wise, we are at a critical time. But, I encourage us to look for the beautiful around us regardless of the time of year.