Summer Into Fall

Taking a Pink Saturday break for a couple of weeks, but I'll be back soon. If you've never visited before, scroll down a few posts to catch my last week's Pink Saturday -- a wonderful shop in Northern Michigan that knows how to mix pink, blue, white, impatiens and lovely French antiques for a beautiful look!

On the last evening of summer several days ago, I took a walk in our neighborhood. About eight blocks away from my house is a man made wetlands, instigated by our drain commissioner after assessing property owners a small fortune during a sewer separation project.

Rick was heavily assessed, so whenever I walk down to what he calls "the ditch," I always say quietly to myself (and occasionally to him), "Thank you, Rick!"

It was damp and muggy on Monday evening and the air was thick with the smell of rain and grass, the ground still damp from an afternoon shower.

Lots of people were walking on around the perimeter of "the ditch," some with dogs, others with iPods. I was enjoying the quiet and the colors, getting ready to burst.

I call these "fire bushes" and they were certainly a brilliant red. Yes, fall is coming. No, fall is here.

Clumps of purple asters and cat tails surrounded the water's edge.

The sun had set before I arrived, and in the twilight, the clouds were taking on some lovely colors.

I'm not sure, but I think this was a nest for some water creature.

And the colors. A sneak preview of what is to come, I think.

I have a love-hate relationship with fall. It is beautiful, and what's not to love about that.

But it seems so short -- not in days, perhaps, but in all the things that make it fall -- beautiful reds, yellows, golds and purples; sunny, crisp days, and bright blue skies.

Soon enough the leaves will fall, the crisp days will turn cold and the bright blue skies will be filled with clouds that will dump snow.

So, I will love it while I can and moan a bit when the leaves drop and leave a spider web of dark branches against the sky.

Yes, it really is fall.