Savoring a shoulder season #phenology

For the past three days, we've been busier than usual and have had less time to observe the hummingbird feeder. In the time that we have had, we've seen nary a one since Tuesday. The Journey North site [see side bar] suggests we may have seen the last of them until next Spring. We'll leave the feeders up for awhile, just in case. [UPDATE: As we were writing the next paragraph, a female ruby-throated hummingbird arrived at the feeder. Maybe someone warned those still around our North Country about the problems down along the southern coasts and those who can are trying to delay migration?]

bee on anise hyssop

Photo by J. Harrington

Local soy bean fields are starting  to turn from green to tan. Corn, not quite so much, but perhaps it's thinking about it. Much of the sumac has reddened. Maple colors are very spotty, but more noticeably turned than a week ago. The asters are still blooming nicely, including, finally, some of the asters along our road that seemed to have disappeared. Bees are still out and about, feeding on what's left of  the anise hyssop blooms and asters and some of the sunflower-looking plants still in flower along the roadsides. One even stopped by to check out the new porch and accessible ramp the Son-In-Law just finished rebuilding. (He did an awesome job and still has all his fingers. Impressive! When he finishes, I get my garage back so we do what we can to help the project along.)

bee inspecting Son-In-Law's work

Photo by J. Harrington

We're playing "hide-and-seek" with a pocket gopher in the back yard. It makes a pile of dirt, we find the nearby tunnel, set traps, the gopher abandons the trapped tunnel and moves on, creating another pile of freshly dug dirt twenty or so feet away. We'll move the traps tomorrow and see if we can make the gopher "it."

We're sure Minnesotans realize how fortunate we are, especially compared to those living and working around Houston, TX or Miami, FL. Not using the phrases "climate change" or "global warming" doesn't seem to be making much difference to "Mother Nature." As frequently is the case, Wendell Berry has a helpful insight or two (or three or...) to share:

Whether we and our politicians know it or not, Nature is party to all our deals and decisions, and she has more votes, a longer memory, and a sterner sense of justice than we do.

September 2

Wendell Berry

In the evening there were flocks of nighthawks
passing southward over the valley. The tall
sunflowers stood, burning on their stalks
to cold seed, by the still river. And high
up the birds rose into sight against the darkening
clouds. They tossed themselves among the fading
landscapes of the sky like rags, as in
abandonment to the summons their blood knew.
And in my mind, where had stood a garden
straining to the light, there grew
an acceptance of decline. Having worked,
I would sleep, my leaves all dissolved in flight.

********************************************
Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.