Transition

“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.”
― Sylvia Plath

(photograph: split trunk oak/ Troup Co, Georgia/ Julie Cook/2013)

Not that I’m a real Sylvia Plath fan—she’s a tad morose for my taste, but I thought the quote most applicable for this image… as well as for this time of year.
The calendar officially reads September, the weather, however here in the South, feels like something else entirely—more like summer.

The thermometer registered 84 with the humidity so heavy in the air, I was wet moments after stepping from the truck. This time of year marks the beginning of the yearly pilgrimage…my husband going down each Sunday to the “deer land” for the annual preseason preparations… with me, all the ready, tagging along.

Any excuse to be able to head to the woods, I’m there. If that means I’ve got to carry salt blocks, deer stands, “cloppers” to trim tree limbs, riding the four wheeler all over the property for hours, waiting patiently, as my husband bush hogs the property…I’m good with it all as I’m outside and free.

Granted it’s still early to truly enjoy the outings as it is still really hot, really humid and very very buggy. Spray with deet, spray some more, and be on the safe side, spray again—have you knowledge of the ticks? It’s also a good idea to have on boots, long pants and snake leggings if you’ve got them. Of course you could carry a .22 if you thought it would help, but I don’t know if a .22 wouldn’t simply make a rattlesnake just angrier.

With camera in hand, I wandered away a tad form the Bad Boy Buggy, aka, golf cart a la camouflage …the ultimate hunter’s toy providing stealth and comfort in the woods and on the trails. Eyeing the most unusual tree—the hole in the center made it look as if it had two separate legs, I angle in for some good shots. But what truly caught my eye were the lovely green leaves accented against the brown and grays of the bark of the trees off set by a deep blue sky…but wait,… is that,… can it be,…. do I see…. red leaves??? as in Fall crimson???

A joyous small tease of what is to be.

September will remain mostly warm and muggy giving way to a greatly anticipated October. The leaves will continue turning a dingy, sickly green. The air will remain heavy with dust if the rains hold off or things may turn moldy if things don’t dry out. October can still be a transitory month here in the South as well—depending on the “ninas” and the jet streams, we might be cool and crisp or we might dodge late tropical storms, or it might just be pleasant and truly fall like.

The next several weeks will certainly be a time of transition. My grandmother would tell me I’d need to pack away all my white clothing on September 1st as I couldn’t wear white after labor day, or before Easter for that matter. The swimming pools are all slowly being cleaned and covered, high school football is well under way, and we’re all eyeing those long forgotten sweaters, chomping at the bit to see if they still fit.

Happy Labor Day today, the closing of one season of time giving way to the next. The next “holiday” for some of us, will be November’s Veteran’s Day otherwise known as Armistice Day, and of course Thanksgiving, and before we know it, Christmas will be here—my goodness how time can seem so slow and yet can seem to fly right past us…all the while nature does her thing as the leaves work keeping us in tune with the calendar—

So on this new day to a new week, this Labor Day, make certain to take the time today to breathe in deeply the last lingering scents of summer…freshly mown grass, the acrid oder of pool chlorine, a freshly cut watermelon, the heavy smoke from the grill…. for as soon as you do, the air will magically change with the unmistakeable scents of Autumn….cinnamon, apples, cloves, pumpkins, burning leaves—be ready….the transition is here….