Sunday, September 1, 2019

it's September

Where I live, in early September we are hearing something outside - insects of some sort making their constant sounds, a background to whatever we do in the house.  If we're quiet. This lasts all day, and through the night, but it sounds more interesting at night.  I wish I knew what they were; I envy the English, who all seem to know their wildlife and all the things in nature they're neighbors with. Families who homeschool also seem to know this, but for many it's lost knowledge.

In September we can expect the skies to get bluer as the air gets drier, but in the mornings fog will frequently appear. Of course it's cooler and more comfortable to sleep at night, but you can still keep the windows open. It is possible at some point that the furnace will turn on, if you let it. Everyone has their own opinions on the subject; many people I know are determined to tough it out until November.

There is goldenrod blooming, and the asters (Michaelmas daisies, if you like). And ragweed, which might make your head feel stuffy. Later in the month, the leaves start to turn and they could be bright orange, golden yellow or glowing red, and we spend the first part of the month wondering how brilliant the trees are going to be.


The breezes taste
Of apple peel.
The air is full
Of smells to feel -
Ripe fruit, old footballs,
Burning brush,
New books, erasers,
Chalk, and such,
The bee, his hive,
Well-honeyed hum,
And Mother cuts
Chrysanthemums.
Like plates washed clean
With suds, the days
Are polished with
A morning haze.

-   John Updike,   September

8 comments:

  1. it is exciting to see the seasons shift! It's a bit cooler here too, which means 70s and low 80s for the most part...it would be nice if stayed like this (sometimes we get super summer weather in September!) and we do have a high of 88F on Wednesday!) lovely post, so thoughtful <3

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    1. Thank you, Elizabeth! Yes, the seasons are different everywhere, so I thought I'd talk about it.

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  2. That is a lovely account. Somehow your not knowing the name of one of the things in your autumnal world does not detract much from the scene you've painted. XO

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  3. What a lovely autumn picture, Lisa!
    I'm not sure that all British people know their wildlife; there have been recent surveys that have shown that very few young people especially, can identify common plants, trees, insects and animals. I don't think it helps that nature study isn't often taught at primary school these days and many nature words have been taken out of children's dictionaries.

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  4. Lovely imagery, Lisa. It has a distinctly autumnal feel over here, though I'm looking forward to the colours changing and perhaps, if we're lucky, a little late summer sunshine. Unfortunately, this Brit is fairly ignorant about resident flora and fauna - my father, on the other hand, seemed to know EVERYTHING!

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  5. The hum of the insects is amazing! I can just hear it after you describe it. And the blue skies! Aren't they glorious?

    I amazed at how much the older generations know, Lisa. My daddy and aunt (and of course greats and grands) knew so much about their natural surroundings. I grew up in a rural area and know about Kentucky, but out west where I am now, I know very little. And things are different!

    I was born on Michaelmas and one of my little ones is a September baby, so September holds such a special place in my heart. I enjoyed the poem you shared.

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