Ode to August, my favorite month

The last day of August found me doing business in the rain. No, I am not referring to taking a dookie in the rain, but doing all other manners of business in the rain. However, I did go to the library today in the rain, and continued my 100% track record of "you know what." (If you do not know what I am referring to, go back and read my whole blog history- it's in there somewhere.) Anyways, it was a quiet rainy day in the holler. Last day of August means the days are shorter and sweeter and there is a feeling of the end of something. To me it is a sweet sad feeling, like the summer is gracefully dying and giving up the best it has to offer. The overwhelming sound of crickets has replaced the overwhelming glow of lightening bugs in the night, which is becoming cooler and longer. I know, I know everyone knows this stuff, but I am trying to do an ode.
After I conducted a number of items of business from the ole Airstream, I went for a walk around the terrain for a couple hours, and SM joined me. We walked up through the woods, admiring all sorts of ferns, wild herbs and mushrooms, including some chantrells, which we gathered. We made our way up to The Sunset Spot, a stunning westerly facing overlook of the mountains, including Mill Ridge and Rich Mountain, and the passage over to Hot Springs. The wild sunflowers (Susie called them wing stems) were in full bloom, and the goldenrod was just getting started. It was dramatic against a healthy stand of sumac.
I came out of the woods just in time to miss yet another rainstorm, and to get to Hot Springs in time to do some banking business. There was an end of August rainbow in Hot Springs, as shown here from the vantage point of Stacey G's front yard (where we plucked a volunteer Early Moonbeam yellow watermelon and ate the hell out of it). Farewell August, my favorite month.

My first Heavenly Blue of the year:


Red zinger hibiscus bloom (thanks to Beth Trigg):


Rain on wild phlox:


The Sunset Spot:


Can you see the rainbow over Hot Springs?: