September Days

September is a month of change.

With the beginning of school there is a change in daily activities. We are thinking more about reading, writing and doing math than we really want to. It is always in the back of my mind even when it isn't being done because I know it has to be. Now we are forced to meet someone else's requirements on us, not just our own.

In September the weather makes a more dramatic change and the trees begin to dress themselves differently, orange, red, and gold. The autumn flowers make their appearance before the frost comes to put them to sleep for another year. The geese practice flying circles overhead in preparation for the long trip south and the monarchs flutter around the yard for the last few weeks before their own long journey.

We clear the back porch of patio furniture and start the seeming never-ending process of stacking firewood. We light a small fire on chilly mornings to "take off the chill". The gas grill is rolled into the barn and we start cooking up meals such as beef stew and chile. The shorts and swim suits are packed away and the long sleeves and jackets start to appear.

Of course, in September we still have an abundance of warm and sunny days, complete with short sleeves, to look forward to. Ice cream cones still taste yummy and a long walk on a clear sky day is still savored. September.