last bits of summer

We are so on the heels of Fall! In the twelve days that I was away, my granddaughter seems to have grown two years and the garden transformed itself: everything about it shouts "end of summer!"

Breakfast on the porch.  Gold. Everywhere I look I see gold.






Take the Great Flower Field now:  it's all purple and gold, with that autumn look of grand old age. Perhaps you can see, too (in the upper right corner of the photo), the appearance of red crab apples? So Fall-ish!






The bees are extremely busy. They're all over the false sunflowers...






... and all over the sprawling ruby red sedum (with a view toward the writer's shed).






As I drive out to pick up Snowdrop, I note that the sandhill cranes haven't left yet. But they're at the edge of the fields. As if thinking about taking flight?






This is the last week that the community pool is open. It's not exactly hot outside (a partly cloudy 71F, or not quite 22C), but the water is warm and Snowdrop is happy to return to this favorite summer place of ours.

But the pool is nearly empty. You'd think we'd both love that, after a summer of shoulder to shoulder kids. We have so much space and quiet! Well yes and no: there is plenty of space to move around, but the little one is always on the lookout for kids to observe and imitate. Scant pickings today!







At the farmhouse, she settles into play. (She needs help adjusting a toy. Here, let me do that for you -- I offer. No, I want ahah to fix it! Well, she's got us pegged!)






And always, always, she gives time to her babies.






Snowdrop joy: feeding her little ones toy ice cream.





Summer treats from a summer day that is slowly slipping away...

Of course, fall in Wisconsin is a beautiful season. And seeing the patches of blue in a gentle sky today can only make us feel grateful. Texan families are struggling under intense flooding and rains. We here are the lucky ones.

So very lucky.