Countdown to equinox

A week from today will bring Autumn Equinox in our neck of the woods. The Better Half’s last rose of summer has come and gone.

last rose of summer

Photo by J. Harrington

Yesterday we grabbed a quick photo of the timbered ridges along the St. Croix river. As we expected, there’s not much color showing yet.

not much color yet

Photo by J. Harrington

Today's artisan sourdough boule is out of the oven and, like the last one, is much darker than we prefer. We’ll be lowering the oven temperature, and checking the bread’s internal temperature, until we get to a happy combination of a baked loaf with a medium to light crust. Cross your fingers for us. We figure you don’t need to see a picture of “burnt bread crust.” 

unidentified yellow flowers in creek bed

Photo by J. Harrington

There’s a third outburst of yellow flowers where, when we’re not experiencing severe drought, there’s usually water. At this location, both the mud and the area sprouting yellow flowers are normally covered by creek water.

Female and juvenile ruby-throated hummingbirds are still coming to the feeders. Soon, they’ll be headed south. A month or six or eight weeks later, the leaves will have gone through peak color and be mostly on the ground, except for the oaks which shed almost year round like our dog. When Tom Waits wrote Last Leaf, he may have had an oak in mind. Not to rush the season, but in preparation of its progression, here’s Tom’s lyrics.

Last Leaf

Tom Waits

I'm the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But they won't take me
I'm the last leaf on the tree

When the autumn wind blows
They're already gone
They flutter to the ground
'Cause they can’t hang on

There's nothing in the world
That I ain't seen
I greet all the new ones
That are coming in green

I'm the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But they won't take me
I'm the last leaf on the tree

They say I got staying power
Here on the tree
But I've been here since Eisenhower
And I've outlived even he

I'm the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But they won't take me
I'm the last leaf on the tree 

I fight off the snow
I fight off the hail
Nothing makes me go
I'm like some vestigial tail

I'll be here through eternity
If you want to know how long
If they cut down this tree
I'll show up in a song

I'm the last leaf on the tree
The autumn took the rest
But they won't take me
I'm the last leaf on the tree
I'm the last leaf on the tree
I'm the last leaf on the tree

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