SEPTEMBER -  by Helen Hunt Jackson

The golden-rod is yellow; The corn is turning brown; The trees in apple orchards With fruit are bending down. By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer's best of weather, And autumn's best of cheer. The gentian's bluest fringes Are curling in the sun; In dusty pods the milkweed Its hidden silk has spun. But none of all this beauty Which floods the earth and air Is unto me the secret Which makes September fair. The sedges flaunt their harvest, In every meadow nook; And asters by the brook-side Make asters in the brook. 'T is a thing which I remember; To name it thrills me yet: One day of one September I never can forget.   From dewy lanes at morning The grapes' sweet odors rise; At noon the roads all flutter With yellow butterflies.
Helen Hunt Jackson, 1830 -1885, was an American poet and  writer who became an activist for improved treatment of Native Americans by the United States government.                                                           ~ * ~
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THE JOY OF JULY

There’s something poignant and special about July. For northern folks in the United States, it means our summer is one-third over—if we count our summer as June, July, and August.

July brings us a heap of good things to experience like beautiful sunsets and the glorious sweet scent of milkweeds blooming along the roadsides shouldering their way among daisies and Queen Anne’s lace. And of course, there’s glorious warm sunshine to enjoy.                                   

My favorite spot during the summer is on our swing on our covered patio, hung near the far edge of the terrace where you can view the stars at night or enjoy a fire blazing in a fireplace several feet beyond. When peace and quiet call the soul, you can sit there any time of the day and just absorb the soothing sounds of country life. The wind whispering in the trees. Birds prattling to each other. The lonesome whistle of a distant train.    

Muggy nights encourage us to linger outside and watch the lightning bugs dance in the grass or watch heat lightning flash across the inky sky. If we’re lucky, we might catch the plaintive call of an owl or night hawk hiding in a nearby tree.

I’m always in awe of the earth beneath us when July rolls around. A garden is one kind of a miracle. We carefully set our plants—flowers, vegetables, and herbs—in the tilled ground or in the buckets in our bucket garden for them to magically flourish using the gifts of soil, sunshine, and showers. Already, parsley, thyme, rosemary, chives, and oregano are ready for use in our summertime sauces, marinates, and favorite dishes.

July is also considered the ideal month for fireworks, picnics, weddings, and celebrations. But it’s also a special time to find joy in the little things and to appreciate the season with its bounty and beauty…even when we know it will end much too soon.

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                JUNE ~ The Pianist        ADELENE ~ The Violinist       LUCY ~ The Clarinetist