THERE’S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT AUGUST

Canola with farmhouse in background, taken August 15

Long story short, we trapped two more mice, one of them a baby, so I fear an infestation. Nevertheless, we set traps and left for the farm on Saturday (Aug. 15). Mike volunteered to return to town in a day or two to check on things. We applied sealant under the kitchen sink last year. I think we need to do it again.

We arrived at the farmhouse fairly late in the morning, finding it pleasantly cool in the house, and what’s more – no mice! Mike set to work organizing his new shed, and I checked the raised beds. Fortunately, the two summer squash plants weathered the past week thanks to the “plant nannies.” AND, as an extra treat, I picked two cups of beautiful little strawberries. We had strawberry shortcake for dessert.

It’s August, and the change is noticeable. The sun is lower in the sky, the shadows stretch long across the yard, and the days are noticeably shorter. The high temps are still hot, but mornings and evenings tend to be pleasantly cool (some exceptions apply). It’s the first hint of autumn – harvest, “back to school,” and yes, even Halloween. It’s an enchanted time.

Canola, taken August 7

But August can still be hot. In fact, our region is under an “excessive heat warning” from noon today until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 18). It seems silly to warn us about excessive heat. It’s the summer! If the forecast is for temps in excess of 100, we know it’s hot. We should exercise in the mornings, says the warning, so this morning I walked up Plank’s Pitch with Mike and Bess. At the top, we saw a rattler in the ditch, and on the way back we saw a different one and heard at least one more in the grass.

The fluorescent yellow of blooming canola faded to green as the blossoms dropped, and now the green is turning brown. Our farmer isn’t harvesting in this neighborhood yet, but surely it will happen soon. I saw them harvesting on Central Ridge last week. KW