Tuesday, August 24, 2010

late summer day





Standing at the back door, I look out into the small fenced part of our yard. Beyond that is our neighbor's empty half acre and the road that marks the edge of our little neighborhood. Beyond that are the agricultural fields filled with cotton as far as I can see to the treeline on the horizon. My drawing table is along the same wall that the back door is in and when the door is open, I can see the little birdbath in the fenced yard from where I sit. Also along this wall is a bank of windows I gaze out of.

Now in the heat of the day all I can see are dragonflies patrolling the empty yard. All else is hunkered down waiting for the sun to get lower in the sky. The bluejays that hang around all morning are nowhere to be seen, the small white herons gone to other fields. Even the hawks have found retreat from the heat and the cicadas are silent.

As recent as last week, the heat was oppressive at 7 AM. Two days ago when I opened the back door I thought I sensed a slight change, not pleasant exactly but perhaps a hint of things to come. Today there was no doubt, pleasant with a slight breeze that was just a memory by 9 AM. By 2 o' clock, 102˚. At 4 PM I venture out to water some pots and standing there holding the hose I am covered in sweat.

Behind us at the end of our mowed back yard is a thick wall of grass taller than I am like the edge of the Red Sea parting to provide passage. The 13 acre field has not been mowed once this year. Earlier in the summer a dead tree fell at the edge of our property. The wild grape vines and trumpet flower have covered it, draping the dead branches with finery. Another task awaiting us for when it cools off.

A single crow is perched in the dead branches of a nearby tree calling attention to himself. I fill another small bucket with dropped unripe pecans, their pungent antiseptic odor wafting up, and toss them on the burn pile.

At 7 PM I walk out to catch the clouds reflecting the late summer sun. I am standing there at the back edge of our property gazing up at the sky and turn to look behind me and see a rainbow arching across heaven. It has been raining further away.


9 PM. It's dark now and the only things I see are the silhouettes of the trees against the cloud covered sky, the moon not yet risen or well cloaked while the night creatures sing their lullabies. One more day done and summer's end one step closer.



16 comments:

  1. I noticed that ever-so-slight change this week, too. Yippee!! (beautiful post)

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  2. Been a long hot summer...we had a slight break in the heat, but it'll be back this week...not as hot as yours though and that's good...

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  3. 102 is an insane number. I've noticed that blogging makes me more aware of the passage of time. I see the moment when it starts seeming like spring or summer or fall. Most years in the past I would swear we never had spring at all, but this year I noticed it.

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  4. Over here our summer just sort of petered out at the beginning of August (about the time schools broke up) now its just a typical English summer, wet, windy, warm, cool - the only thing you can be sure of is that whatever you leave home wearing its inappropriate by the time you reach your destination!

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  5. Nice little visit to Texas! Thank you for the play by play... I miss Texas. I miss the heat (although I was never menopausal in TX so I may not love it right now). In SA we had a pleasant costal breeze I remember well.
    Wonderful photos! Wonderful story along with them!

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  6. Lovely photos and post! We've been lucky to get scattered showers, in between the hot days. 102! Wow, hang in there!

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  7. A lovely post.
    I feel for you, I could never live anywhere where the temperatures reach such dizzying heights.
    I couldn't even go back to live in Germany now. England and its wishy-washy, neither here nor there, always in between showers climate suits me well, in spite of usually complaining about it.

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  8. I have noticed the slight change as well. A little cooler during the day. Sigh! I am going to miss summer. I am definitely not anxious for winter to approach!
    But I am enjoying today...warm and windy.
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  9. We've had a change, as well. A little breath of fall and then temps that will reach close to 100 tomorrow.

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  10. Oh my, I could not bear such high temps - it saps all your energy. How do you get anything done? I know - because you HAVE to .... Wishing you cooler temps soon.

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  11. I enjoy that rainbow ray through the clouds. You're right; one can feel the inexorable progress toward fall.

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  12. They sound like wonderful views from your window. You must remember to see only the beauty and not the jobs.

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  13. ellen the story of change however slight is one that we're experiencing here also - the sun gone by 8:30, the morning dew so heavy now, the evening temperatures lowering, and of course the tickles of red, yellow and orange that are appearing in the big and small plants. steven

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  14. gorgeous photos Ellen. And we have had 100+ days here too. I am ready for Fall.

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  15. This change is happening all over. It's quite cool here at night and no longer hot during the day. The summer has been a beauty. Your day makes me feel as if I was right there.

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  16. Well written post dearest friend. Congrats on your POTW award!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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