Everything is dry dry dry. It hasn’t rained since June. I vacillate between wanting to water my young trees to excess and wanting to conserve precious water.

The pasture is brown, and the horses are asking for hay. They don’t touch the hay all summer long. I am tempted to give them what they are asking for, but I need to conserve. I never know if hay may be hard to find in the winter, so I will hold out for now and keep the barn full. I always feel a sense of abundance when the barn is full of hay.

The deer start coming around this time of year. They are looking for something green. Kale, broccoli, and cauliflower fits the bill, seems like. I notice the leaves on the apple trees and the low-hanging fruit are also offering up their abundance to the resident deer.

There is a smell in the air that reminds me of school. School as a child growing up in Quebec. The smell of crayons and new books. Then college and university. Meeting new friends. The newness of it all. I also remember taking my young children to school, brimming with emotions around that.

September is a new beginning and an ending all at the same time. There is a gentle sadness that summer is gone. No more warm summer nights. No more outdoor concerts and events. No more trips to the pool with grandson. No more daylight until 10 at night. No more sunrise at 5 a.m. Days are winding down for sitting on the porch with my morning tea and journal.

The weather is more temperate. The nights cool. I pull out a sweater and I notice its 6:30 and the sun has not yet risen. As fall comes on, I find opportunity to slow down a little. The decks are stained and the summer projects coming to a close. Back to the woods for a 3-mile walk every single day. More time to spend with my lovely mares. Get caught up in the garden and plant those grapes, laurels, and the maple that have been living in the shade, waiting for a little more coolness before they go in the ground.

I feel a sadness for seeing the summer go but also an eagerness for the long winter nights, walking the woods at twilight and sitting by the fire.