Saturday, June 19, 2021

On the last day of Spring, 2021 #phenology

For the first time this year, some of the local day lilies have begun to bloom. We may (or may not) get rain and/or thunderstorms tonight and/or tomorrow. Much of the grass is parched and tan. Now that summer will be here in full strength, Monday's high temperature is forecast to be in the mid 60's. Welcome to climate breakdown weather volatility in the Anthropocene!

daylilies in bloom
daylilies in bloom
Photo by J. Harrington

This is a busy time  of year. Today folks celebrate Juneteenth. Tomorrow is both Father's Day and summer solstice. Next year those latter two events will be separated by a couple of days and preceded by Juneteenth. Then, each year, about two weeks from now,  comes Independence Day weekend.

field full of hay bales
field full of hay bales
Photo by J. Harrington

This past week many (most?) of the local farmers have finished baling the first cut of hay. Bales are scattered about the fields in irregular patterns. Soon they'll be collected and stacked at field's edge or near the barn. So far much (most?) of the corn appears to be holding up through the "abnormally dry" spell. There's not much rain in the forecast so yields may be down this year. We'll see how the summer plays out.


Twilight: After Haying


 - 1947-1995


Yes, long shadows go out
from the bales; and yes, the soul
must part from the body:
what else could it do?

The men sprawl near the baler, 
too tired to leave the field.
They talk and smoke,
and the tips of their cigarettes
blaze like small roses 
in the night air. (It arrived
and settled among them
before they were aware.)

The moon comes 
to count the bales,
and the dispossessed--
Whip-poor-will, Whip-poor-will
--sings from the dusty stubble.

These things happen. . .the soul's bliss
and suffering are bound together
like the grasses. . .

The last, sweet exhalations
of timothy and vetch
go out with the song of the bird; 
the ravaged field
grows wet with dew.


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