September is one of my favorite months. Life begins to slow down, and there’s a crispness to the air in the early morning- a whisper of what’s to come. Time to start winding down, time to harvest and process the so called fruits of my labor. I cover the tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley and basil in the late afternoon while the sun still kisses them. I want to hold in that warmth to help my babies stay warm through the night. In late morning, I uncover my sleeping beauties and joyfully watch as they stretch towards the sun. Summer projects are winding down. The house has been painted, the deck is nearly done. There’s not enough summer left to start any more outdoor projects. I am grateful. Sweet September is a time to reflect on projects completed and those yet to come.
It’s also when all the young ones go back to school. Working on my deck, I can hear the joyous shouts and squealing screams coming from the elementary school at recess. Even the children celebrate these warm and beautiful days. It will be cold and windy soon enough. But for now, the sun is shining, the air is just the right temperature for peeling off jackets and running wildly around the playground. Ah, September.
College is back in session, too. The young men and women dutifully trot back and forth, enjoying some fresh air and a lovely break between classes. I watch them carefully as I drive by. My dog, Tika likes to watch them too. They are colorful and chaotic, each lost in their own world, not paying much attention to anything around them. Ah, sweet, seductive September’s surge. This year, one young woman in particular has an apparent death wish or just feels that the world belongs to her as she blows through stop signs and busy intersections. I’ve been nearly run into several times by this one. How on earth did she pass her driver’s exam, I wonder. Inexperienced drivers come out in force in September. We locals are on high alert as this year’s college drivers sail across intersections, change lanes without warning and drive with oblivious abandon, convinced in their righteous belief that they are both invincible and have the full right of way wherever they cruise. I must say that in this respect, I’ve always enjoyed summers when they are either back home or have several seasons of driving in Cheney under their belts and are less dangerous to the rest of us. Beware the September drivers and be on the lookout for the young lady in the white SUV. She owns the road.
That aside, September is still one of my favorite months. I look forward to closing the garden for the year, enjoying the fresh vegetables and herbs I grow, as well as, the delicious plums from our tree that are generally ready in late September. It’s time for canning, making sauces and jams, trying new recipes that feature the fully ripened garden veggies, and long walks in the waning sun. Yes, September truly is one of my favorite months.
Venus Bratsveen
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