The Signs of Fall
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| Buddy the dog spots the first fall leaf. © DFries |
Fall is subtly awakening as Summer quietly goes to sleep. Without fanfare it shows up, with its chills, its vibrant colors, its crispness of sound and light. It sneaks in like a thief stealing the daylight, shortening our days and lengthening the night.
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| With cheeks already full this chipmunk shows no sign of stopping, Eastern Chipmunks only go into a light hibernation coming out of their dens during warmer winter days. © DFries |
The wildlife knows. They have a certain scurry to them in their rush to find every last berry, seed and nut. Birds start to head south if they are migratory, unlike the Monarch Butterfly who waits to travel until the wind is right, birds leave when ready. September is the peak time for the Monarchs to migrate and their fragile wings carry them thousands of miles to their Winter homes.
The solitary Summer Ladybug now looks for other ladybugs to slumber party as they go to sleep to wait out the winter while other Insects are busy dying. Soon, frost will decorate the grass killing the plants with its beauty before creeping to our windows for Winter.
Even the sky looks different, somehow "bluer" than in Summer, as if to say, “Look at me before I turn grey!” For a while we are fooled by the warmth of the afternoon sun and the remaining blooms in the garden that Summer is here to stay as Fall carries us toward Winter.
Track migrations of the Monarch Butterfly, hummingbirds, even the length of daylight here.
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| Like an impressionist painting the Captain William Smith house in Lincoln, Massachusetts sits in the Autumn sunshine, the length of day is already shortened here in New England. © DFries |
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| A Great Blue Heron patiently waits for breakfast in a local pond abundant with frogs. Great Blue Heron's migrate but sometimes they don't, if they do they usually leave by late September. © DFries |
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| What? Easter Lillies aren't a sign of Fall, but, if you plant them shortly after you get them in the spring and they like where you put them they might just "gift" you with some surprise "Easter" in September like mine did. © DFries |
2 comments
Beautiful post. Just the right combination of words and pictures...:)
ReplyDeleteThank you Troutbirder! I have enjoyed reading about the amazing trips you have been taking and love the picture of your adorable grandkids!
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