A Hint of Coolness

My friend Don  came out with this expression some time ago and we all laughed because it sounded so poetic. This morning when I went out to pick up my paper there was more than a hint of coolness as a brisk breeze with 10 degree temperatures gave me the signal that fall was really here. It was rather refreshing to wear a T shirt and a light sweater. When Theresa and I went for our evening walk around our block we noticed signs of fall. The most remarkable was the white oak dropping its acorns. This tree hangs over the sidewalk and is prolific in its ability to cover the walk every year with the biggest acorns. Four black squirrels were filling their pouches  and scampering off to their winter storage hid away.

Other signs of fall creeping up is the yellow buses are on the road again, slowing up traffic and causing people to get frustrated because they never counted on the extra ten minutes it takes to get to work on time. A sure sign is our neighbour leaving her house with orange jacket and signs of her job, she is a crossing guard. At nearly eighty years of age she never missed a day on the job and loves her time on the street regardless of the weather.

Golf rates go down a little and with falling leaves it is harder to keep your eye on the ball and some time is spent looking for elusive or stray golf shots. It is also the best time of the year for golfers as the courses are not crowded and kids are in school. As the leaves turn colour and the days become even shorter there is a sort of urgency to get in as much golf as possible before you have to put your clubs away.

Fall ushers in a small migration to the universities. This year again two of our grandchildren go off to get new and wonderful experiences at places of higher learning. With eight grandchildren there has been a succession of our kids leaving. This enriches the discussions we have at family gatherings. With five of the eight already in the process the other three are about to move on as their cousins did and I can just imagine what a great time we will have when politics or religion is on the discussion paper. There is no sadness when these young people move on as  they have the privilege of contributing to their own better life. We miss them when they leave for short times but love their return with new and exciting ideas.

Yesterday I rotor tilled the small garden where cucumbers, potatoes and  carrots grew. The Swiss chard will last until heavy frost. It was a dry year and as I tilled the soil I could see how the dryness had a negative effect on our gardens and wish for a rainy fall. The trees especially need moisture before the winter and there have been warnings this year that many of our trees have been stressed  and could be damaged during the dry winter months.

Yes there is a coolness in the air but with a provincial election coming up we could see some heat generated and the temperature rising.