PORCH PONDERINGS

Change of Season

Today is the first day of Autumn. It is nice here in my part of Montana. But I am not fooled by the blue skies and sunshine and warm temperatures. I know soon the snow will fly and the furnace will run.

My garden is still producing tomatoes and beets and carrots and corn. I still have onions to dig up and potatoes to dig up, But that will soon be over too with the first frost.

I miss the bright colors of fall from my years growing up in Ohio. There don't seem to be the bright reds and oranges here. Just a bit of yellow here and there. The town I am in has plenty of trees, None of them have colorful lives. The main ones in my yard are ash. They have a small yellow leaf at first that changes to a dirty brown. Not exactly the nice kind to go jumping into.

So we will mow the grass at least once more. Bring the water hoses in and turn off the water outside. Bring in the cushions and pillows from the porch swing. Put the nice tiled table on the porch inside for the winter. Put the flannel sheets on the bed and bring out the heavy wool blanket. Change the furnace filter and get hunkered down for the big hibernation.

You never know when it will start, but you can be sure cold weather will come to Montana. Guaranteed.