The Beginning Of The End

Summer is winding down. There will still be nice days over the next couple of months, don't get me wrong. Monday night found us sitting out on the deck in shorts and t-shirts until after dark. It's still summer, after all. But the signs are out there.

Some of the grape leaves in the vineyard are turning already.

First of all, there's the dwindling light. I'm waking up before sunrise now. And darkness is coming earlier and earlier. The ads on television and in the mail are all about la rentrée (back-to-school and back-to-work). Summer vacations officially end next week. The US Open tennis tournament begins in less than a week. American football pre-season is in full swing.

And then there are the leaves. The early changers have started doing their thing. I see more and more yellow leaves in the birch trees, and a carpet of yellow is forming on the ground beneath them. The grape vines have begun their transformation, too. Here and there I see a beautiful red leaf, or tinges of yellow among all the green.

Gotta enjoy the nice days while they last!