Aujourd'hui, on est le seize!
This picture shows me on the 31 day of August enjoying those last warm rays of a Summer sun at the beach. Summer was a hot one this year and now we look to the change of another season. Harvest time has always been a favorite one of mine. The wonderful squash, gourds, pumpkins and the leaves dazzling us with hints of yellow, red and orange and brown. Football season begins and the fun of tailgate parties whether at home or at the stadium. The yellow school bus goes down the street on a crisp morning and it makes me smile to think of children on their way to school in their newest sweaters, jeans.....only to come home with them off on one shoulder as the day warms up and they dressed too warmly.
New books seem to appear like Summer movie blockbusters. I just ran out yesterday to buy the new Dan Brown novel, "The Lost Symbol". His books arrive with the fanfare of a Harry Potter book. The other book coming this month is the latest in the beloved Outlander Saga, "An Echo in the Bone" by Diana Gabaldon. One can be immersed in her weighty books for months as they are so detailed. If you enjoy historical fiction and time travel, these are the books for you.
Our late Summer evening dinners on the deck and patio are soon to be gone as it is getting dark much earlier. We look for the new TV shows and hope some of our favorites have returned but if all else fails, there is always a brand new NBA season and there are then, so many games, so little time.
I recently read about an autumnal festival of Michaelmas on September 29th which is the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel. This ancient English harvest festival dates back to the 6th century. It seems it is traditional to have blackberry treats on this day . The legend goes that the devil was driven out of heaven by St. Michael and landed in a patch of blackberry brambles. There are many, many blackberry bushes in Oregon and the ones close to my home are still producing so I believe this will be my salute to the start of Autumn. Salut' St. Michael.
