Summer is winding down as we begin the slow march to autumn. And the sun, the glorious sun, is stealthily leading the way. Though no less intense in heat or radiance than one month ago, the brightest star to planet earth foreshadows the impending winter darkness by slowly robbing of us of daylight minutes. Rising later and setting earlier, the fickle sun is visible 72 minutes less than on the longest day of the year. On June 21, sunrise was 5:16 a.m. On August 11, it was 5:55 a.m. On June 21, sunset was 8:29 p.m. On August 11, it was 7:56 p.m.
That may be a good thing when you’re hoping for a little more shuteye in the morning or waiting for fireworks to light the night sky. Not such a good thing when the shorter days signal waning gardens, cooler evenings and back to school.
Back to School! Counting the days until we drop Katie off at NAU is like than counting the minutes lost each day. Both are as inevitable as falling autumn leaves and football games, sweatshirts and gloves. Meanwhile back at the farm, summer is in full bloom with fresh green corn and Queen Anne’s lace, verdant hills and flowers bursting forth in vibrant patches of color.
And in the midst of it all is my first ever crop of pumpkins, a cheerful sign that autumn days are on their way.
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