Will it be a beautiful Autumn for US?

If you're looking forward to spending a $5,000 check from the White House on this year's Christmas presents, you might want to reconsider. Political realists tell me they expect to receive their checks a week or so after all the unredacted Epstein files have been released.

"mums" the word for autumn plantings

Photo by J. Harrington

Back in the real world, this past week the Better Half and I planted half a dozen mums along the driveway in what's become an annual seasonal event recognizing a transition from Summer to Autumn. Today's weather feels much less like Summer than did yesterday's. On the other hand, the local hummingbirds are still coming to the feeders, so they've not yet migrated. I'm curious to see if I'll have to refill the feeders next weekend or if today is the last time for this year.

Almost 71% of the state is experiencing some degree of drought. The nearby St. Croix river flows have been hovering just above the bottom ten (lowest) flow levels. Various regions throughout the state are beginning to show leaf colors. For the first time in months, I've been comfortable wearing a chamois shirt inside the house all day. If we get the wet winter we need, I hope it comes early as rain and not as heavy wet snow mid- or late winter.

As we slide into Autumn, let's cross our fingers and work our butts off to do all we can to have lots to be thankful for three weeks after election day. Please be sure to:

• Make sure you're registered to vote
• Vote early
• Encourage your neighbors, friends and families to vote
• Pray for US

         Ghazal: America the Beautiful

Alicia Ostriker
1937 –

Do you remember our earnestness our sincerity
in first grade when we learned to sing America

The Beautiful along with the Star-Spangled Banner
and say the Pledge of Allegiance to America

We put our hands over our first grade hearts
we felt proud to be citizens of America

I said One Nation Invisible until corrected
maybe I was right about America

School days school days dear old Golden Rule Days
when we learned how to behave in America

What to wear, how to smoke, how to despise our parents
who didn’t understand us or America

Only later learning the Banner and the Beautiful
live on opposite sides of the street in America

Only later discovering the Nation is divisible
by money by power by color by gender by sex America

We comprehend it now this land is two lands
one triumphant bully one still hopeful America

Imagining amber waves of grain blowing in the wind
purple mountains and no homeless in America

Sometimes I still put my hand tenderly on my heart
somehow or other still carried away by America

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