Saturday, September 3, 2011

Farewell to Summer





 Labor Day weekend is always kind of a sad holiday.


Shadows are longer, the days are shorter.  We know it's coming.


It means we say hello to Autumn, which is a good thing, but it also means a good-bye to summer must be said.  She leaves gradually, quietly, making sure September keeps her blue skies and fluffy clouds, and some still-soft mornings to savor.  


Summer.  Our friend we wait so long....long.....long to see.  I do hate to see her go.


She shows up just after our brilliant Spring leaves, laughs, giggles, wiggles and makes everything mellow, beautiful, soft, serene.  She offers life--at its best--easy going and carefree--with the sounds of birds, bees, the lamplight in the late evenings of fireflies and frogs singing her periwinkle sunsets away.


We know Autumn has her delights:  misty mornings--jacket required--all with delicious, alluring smells.  Smells all crisp and tart, like our favorite apples.  And yet we know that it's a short season, chased off all too quickly by that frosty,  snappy, wearing-out-its-welcome Winter.  





Yes, I look forward to Fall's arrival, but dearly hate to say goodbye to summer.


So I'll say....SO LONG.


And bid Autumn in with busy and long sessions of canning:  tomatoes, pickles, apples in sauces and fillings--a busy time of gathering in and storing up.  Time to enjoy the connection I feel at this time to grandmothers long past, whom I never met, doing the same, getting food ready to nourish their families once they settled in for the long winters.


A time to enjoy the brilliance displayed in her colors, all the while melancholy underneath the surface, because we know that it is the death of summer that must take place to bring about the birth of Autumn.  






7 comments:

~Sara said...

AAWWWW! What a nice post. You captured it so well. I just love reading your blogs. We really look forward to fall here in California, because the summers are so hot that we can finally enjoy the outdoor life when the cooler temps come along.It is generally 100 degrees and sunny everyday. That is what the forecast has been all summer. 104 today, a little warm.A few things that I really miss from Back East; McIntosh apples, Cortland apples, bittersweet............ Have a blessed weekend, enjoy all that is left of summer. ~Sara

Farmgirl Cyn said...

I HATE saying goodbye, farewell, so long to summer. Tho I think autumn is my favorite season, we waited SO long for summer this year, that I am loathe to see it go:(

Mary Jane said...

It's too bad we can't temper our climates by having your summers and our winters! Just kidding; I've often thought how glad I am we can't control the weather...can you imagine the Congressional committees and the mess we'd make of it? Our part of Texas is heaving a huge sigh of relief...cooler temps are forecast for next week...all under 100, and even (do I dare say it?) some nightime temps below 70! Hopefully, today will be the last hot one. Now, if we could just get some rain...we're desperate. While I'm wishing, I wish we could grow your wonderful apples! Happy fall, my friend!
Mary Jane

Laura @ Bunny Tales said...

Beautiful post! I love summer and am fond of fall (except those stupid nosey bees that come around) but pretty please can we skip winter?? :)

Anonymous said...

Good bye summer, hello autumn.

~from my front porch in the mountains~ said...

We have had a miserable summer here in Tn! Yesterday we broke another record! But, today rain is moving in and cooler temps are to follow! Hooray!
Joni, a group of us are spreading the word about 9/11 and knowing you, I am sure you will want to join in!
We are telling our stories on 9/10 and letting our blogs go silent on 9/11.
I wrote about it in this post at the end and their is a widget on my sidebar you can grab! If you can blog about this-great!
Thanks for your help!
J said you were on FB last week saying Hi! Sorry I missed you :)
xo, misha

Karena said...

Hi Joni...I just found your blog it is fabulous...I am really liking your good-by to summer hello to Autumn post we all seem to be feeling the same thing..saying so long to summer seems much easier than good-by...not as final ...I am a new follower...I look forward to popping in again...

Bless you Karena "A Loblolly Life"