Between Summer and Fall

Agricultural burning, a common fall sight                              © Diane B. Reed

The beauty of dried grasses                           © Diane B. Reed

It's that time of year again, summer has faded, but even though we've passed the autumnal equinox, it's not quite fall yet. A few migratory geese have arrived on our pond and the leaves seem on the verge of turning, but right now it just seems like an awkward time. It's also the time of the year when some farmers burn their fields. On some days the smoke hangs heavy in the air and the Blue Mountains are lost in the haze. There's a real difference of opinion about tilling vs burning harvested fields, seems like there are pros and cons for each. But in Oregon's Willamette Valley the smoke from burning fields got so bad that it affected the air quality and caused a 21-car pileup on I-5 with 7 fatalities, prompting the legislature to severely curtail burning.
                                                                   

A few wildflowers linger as cold weather approaches © Diane B. Reed

There's still a few flowers around, wild sunflowers and rabbitbrush. The grasses have turned golden. In many ways I think they're at their most beautiful. Our garden is still blooming, but in a few short weeks the cold weather will settle in, the fall colors will explode, and bird migrations will be in full swing.