What Month Is It?

This has been the most confusing year weather-wise in my recollection.  We seem to be one month ahead of the calendar.  For instance, in March, it felt like April.  In July, it felt like August.  And in August, it felt like September.  After scorching heat and relentless dryness, we finally saw rain last month and, along with it, cooler temperatures.  The relief was palpable.  With windows thrown open each night, I slept more soundly and comfortably, lulled to slumber by the crickets.  We're entering a lovely time of year.  Autumn was my mom's favorite time of year (I must admit that mine is spring) and it is also the favorite time of year for my good friend Kitty.  The starry, crisp nights and sunny, warm days make for a perfect combination.  We wear sweatshirts on our hikes and end them with a trip to the apple orchard.  Larry and I will drive slowly along a little stretch of road near the orchard between the north and south shores of Devil's Lake State Park where the trees hang heavy overhead, forming a canopy.  It is one of my favorite stretches of road around here and I always, always comment on how beautiful it is, no matter the season.  But, in the fall, it sings.  At the end of the road, next to an old one-room schoolhouse-turned-dwelling, there is a maple tree that always starts to turn color early, erupting into a blazing red sensation.  Larry and I always comment on its beauty, no matter how many times we pass by it.  So, perhaps it doesn't really matter what month it is.  What matters is that there is so much beauty as we welcome autumn into our lives.