Except in magnificent floral displays, August is not a favorite month with the naturalist. The characteristic features of summer are well-nigh over, and when we linger in the shade of the old oaks, our thoughts are more apt to revert to what has been, than to become centered upon what is. And yet how prone we are to forget the character of the seasons, once they are passed!
~ Charles Conrad Abbott
(Days Out of Doors)
After weeks of too much rain in Spring and too much dry heat in Summer, my flowers are starting to look bedraggled … almost as if they, too, sense the approaching change in season. “The Potato Harvest” looks like back-breaking work, especially in all those swirling skirts. How hard our ancestors had it!
I feel for your flowers, the poor things can’t hide from the crazy weather. And I often think about how hard our ancestors worked for their food and how vulnerable we are now to interruptions in the food supply chain, since most of us don’t grow our own food. Survival is difficult work for all creatures and plants!
I think these Dog Days of Summer are making us wither on the vine Barbara. They are here until Friday, August 11th. It must have been difficult having a farm back in the day. It was an honest day’s work but at least climate change was not a worry insofar as those crops would be destroyed.
I’m feeling a little sad because I was totally unmotivated to go outside and see that supermoon last night. The thing I often think about with farming is how you don’t really get any time off, especially with having animals to feed every day. It’s no wonder hard work was considered such a virtue. And think of the Dust Bowl years…
Well, on the bright side, there will be another super moon on August 30th and perhaps the weather is conducive for a good viewing and it’s cooler too. You’re right about farmers – their work is never done, even when they’re done bringing in the crops, there are still hungry mouths to feed and cows to milk.
A lot can change in a month’s time. Maybe I’ll find a great place over the water somewhere to see the blue supermoon! 🙂
Well you need a blue supermoon Barbara since blue is your favorite color!
🙂
I’m usually a little down in August but ours has come in with cooler temps and low humidity, so this year, today at least, I’m grooving on the month. Get back with me about my opinion of it later in the month.
I think your cooler temps and low humidity made its way down here, Ally. When I woke up this morning I was surprised how cool it was. Maybe the worst of the heat and humidity is behind us, but I wouldn’t count on it. Enjoy it while it lasts!