Love for a Fall Night

On the end of its stay, August raises a heavy damp warm hand up.  With a singular motion the sweaty beast named after Augustus Octavius Caesar, flips the switch of the seasons.  As certain as turning off a light when you are leaving a room the change is near immediate.

At least that is the way it usually seems in Michigan.  Quite late into the eighth month, the
 old air conditioner is working hard to stay on top of the heat and most especially the humidity.  Still, by September 4th there is no need for night air conditioning.  The air has dried and the temperature will be in the 50s by midnight.  The temperature will be in the law 50s by 4 am. Yes the switch flips and everything is different.

September is here and on the side deck the walnut wars are well underway.  Like everyone else in East Lansing this house is surrounded by squirrels.  Near the deck stands a stately walnut tree.  Starting at the end of August and running until later, after fall has officially has arrived, the squirrels chuck the walnuts down from the tree. Down the hard green ovals fly. Down they plummet flung by the tree rats as hard as they can.

Down, down onto the deck they smash with an ungodly clamor. There used to be lattice on top of this deck, but the squirrels shattered the thin interlaced pieces of wood.  Almost every flat surface has the shredded green flesh of walnuts surrounding the remnants of broken black shells.  Bang.  Another direct shot at the porch.

Mind you there is no grousing here, except maybe about the lattice.  When the switch flips the whole tenor of the place changes.  The luxuriant green of summer will give way to multi colored hues of deciduous leaves about to fall.  The pumpkins and apples will be up for sale in no time.Saturday mornings will be filled with the sounds of leaf blowers and not lawn mowers.  Giant piles of leaves will live the curb for the annual pick up by the city.  Sweaters will come out of storage.  Does anyone still use moth balls?  In days past it was an unmistakable smell came late September.  Not so much these days.

September is a month when things go into neutral and real life begins to slow.  Not talking about Santa, turkeys or the earlier goblins yet.  Harvest time is coming first.  Real life, the trees, the squirrels, the animals  on the fringe of human encroachment, these prepare for the tough slog that is winter. Apple orchards and farm markets are packed with the bounty summer has offered up. Soon the hammock will need to be taken apart and put away.  Soon a new cord of wood will need to be delivered.

But right now, sitting at a table in light at 7:50 pm is a comfortable and relaxing thing to do. I am not going to create a list...get a cord of wood ordered...set up the chimney cleaner...get the furnace tuned.  Nope tonight I am just going to be in this moment of perfect balance.