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.