Just when the summer starts, the trees turn

Aaron and Madeline at Relay for Life 2012, which has become

an early fall tradition for us since they moved the relay to mid August.

I tried to ignore the burgundy hues on my maple tree, but fall is in the air.


It seems like summer just started, doesn’t it?


Somewhere along the way, it seems that summer got away from me yet again.


The pool that we were installing in the backyard is in limbo and almost silly to work on now. You’d think we would be contemplating closing it for the year, rather than building it.


The fence hasn’t been painted yet, but it may get done.


And although they’re late, tomatoes hang on the vines in the garden, soon to be juiced and canned. Ears of corn are developing, with a few ready to get plucked, boiled and buttered.


The petunias are scraggly now, but still blooming. A few perennials are faded and ready to drop their petals.


Lawn furniture needs to be put away soon and the deck could use a good cleaning and perhaps a coat of stain wouldn’t hurt either.


Fall reminds me that another year is almost complete—whether it was good or bad, productive or lazy.


It’s a time to reflect on the days gone by.


In my mind, I can still feel the anticipation of seeing the big, yellow school bus coming down our road, dust rolling behind it. My new jeans were stiff and tennis shoes so perfect and white as I climbed up the big steps.


For a kid living out in the country, miles away from their nearest friend, it was bittersweet when summer ended. Part of me wanted to spend all day rolling trucks in the garden with my brother and chasing flying grasshoppers.


Then again, the other part of me was ready to see my friends on the playground.


As a teen, I simply despised the end of summer. I wanted to sleep in and spend my afternoons earning a little more cash at the old Elkton Food Center. And fall always meant basketball practice—two weeks of running, running and running the court.


Now as an adult, I love fall. Sure, I look back at all of the things I could’ve got accomplished this summer—could’ve, would’ve, should’ve.

Looking back at a great summer

But I also look forward to a new year that is right around the corner that will bring yet another summer and yet another list of things to do and never enough time to do them all.


Good-bye, August. We’ll meet again.