spring

I know it's not officially spring according to the calendar, but...

• I cut grass today.
• There is pollen all over the top of the pond.
• The turtles are coming up.
• The geese are laying.
• The hardware stores have chicks.
• The irises are up and daffodils (which in the south bloom in Jan usually) are dying
• Goldenrods, crocuses, peach and pear trees and the kiwi plants are all blooming.
• Amaryllis plants are poking their heads out of the ground.

I'm calling it spring.

the onset of fall

My garden, while beautiful foliage, has suddenly decided to start producing. That is both very exciting and very irritating at the same time. I'm thankful to finally have something to put up, but also a little aggravated that it chose an off-season time to do it when other things are starting to begin. On the flip side, as Canadian geese have begun their migration and landing in our yard/pond almost daily on their winter trip south, I also know it won't be long until the garden stops completely. At least, that's what I'm counting on. We're also seeing an increase in spiders and spider webs, which is another crazy reminder that even though the temps are still hot (though lower than normal), they won't be for long. Pecans and grapes are still filling out, on schedule, and the nights are coming faster. When last night's quilt group left the store everyone commented on the fact that it was dark, whereas last month the dusk was just beginning as we left.
2018 is passing quickly, faster than any other year I remember. And I keep plodding along. It's all I know to do.

97 and fall

Bobby laughed at me last night when I declared it was fall, reminding me that it was to be 97 degrees today. And yes, we are under a heat advisory here in NC today, BUT my surroundings are saying otherwise. The poplar tree has been shedding its leaves for over a week, and the grapes are ready for picking. I was too busy yesterday to take pictures, but I now have 3/4 gallon of muscadine juice in my refrigerator waiting to be made into jelly later today (and I only had time to pick 1 side of 1 row). Grapes are ripe in the fall.

And, as if that wasn't enough, school is starting back this week (or starts back next week for the last track of year rounders) in our area, and I had my dry run for fall elections training. (Trainers teach the class to elections staff to make sure we understand the process before classes begin.) So everything around me, except the temperature, is screaming fall.

So happy fall, y'all, sweat and all.