482. Spring flowers are long since gone. Summer’s bloom hangs limp on every terrace. ~Louise Seymour Jones

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On such a day each road is planned
To lead to some enchanted land;
Each turning meets expectancy.
The signs I read on every hand.
~Eleanor Myers Jewett

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Wait, wait, wait! What did I just hear? I think it was about something coming this way. Shhhhh! Did you hear it? Okay, okay, listen again! There it is! Did you hear it this time? All right, if the voices are yet imperceptible, perhaps the eye can see what the ear cannot hear. Let’s see! Berries are turning orange, red, or purple, spent perennial flowers are being replaced by seed pods, ornamental grasses are sending up pretty seed heads, the spider and oxblood lilies are in bloom, monarch butterflies are reappearing in the garden, the sun is moving southward, days are shortening, and rain paid us a visit last Saturday. Now do you know what I’m hearing? Well, if not, I’ll be happy to tell you what nature’s voices are saying! “Signs on every hand” are declaring that the heat beast is dying and that autumn is, slowly but surely, coming this way!

Lord it is time.
The summer was very big.
Lay thy shadow on the sundials,
and on the meadows
let the winds go loose.
~Ranier Maria Rilke

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What a feast for the senses autumn is! Before long dying leaves will be filled with stunning colors and golden light so that their last days will thrill the eye. When the brightly colored foliage begins to fall from its branches, the leaves will swirl about like colorful party confetti in chilly autumnal winds. After they litter the ground, the crunch under our feet will charm the ear, and bright orange pumpkins prepared in scrumptious fare will gladden the taste buds. And if that’s not enough, there are migrating birds and butterflies, sparkling patches of frost on the ground, and clouds bearing blessed rain that will also add to autumn’s thrilling drama. Oh come sweet autumn, come!

He (God) makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses. ~Psalm 135:7 ✝

16 thoughts on “482. Spring flowers are long since gone. Summer’s bloom hangs limp on every terrace. ~Louise Seymour Jones”

    • Thanks, Skye. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I’m thrilled that after tomorrow our high temps will be down in the 80’s and the lows in the 60’s and that means autumn is on its way.
      Summers here are so long and hot! Hugs and love, N 🙂
      ❤ ❤ ❤

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  3. It is true, I too have been seeing small signs here and there, but the temperature is still refusing to acknowledge the signs—still 90 plus—-but I am ever hopeful—soon!!
    Please tell me the name of the top red flower–the wispy one. We once had some property (more deer land of course –sigh) that had an old home place on it—each year, near the old house. these beautiful red wispy flowers would pop up and bloom–on shaft life stems and I just never knew what they were—and your top picture is indeed it. . .
    I love those—
    Happy fall thoughts from one hot southern land to another 🙂
    cookie

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    • After tomorrow’s high of 100, we are supposed to drop down into the 80’s for highs and the 60’s for lows. I can hardly wait. I pray that your break in the nasty heat comes soon too, my friend. The red flowers at the top are spider lilies. I love them. The funny thing is that I didn’t plant the ones I have. They just started showing up several years ago. I’m wondering if the previous owners had planted them and they’ve been lying dormant for all those years. They are a small bulb so I don’t see any other way they could have shown up in my yard. When we bought the house, the area where they are was not a flowerbed. It was covered with grass. So perhaps, when I finally removed the grass and turned it into a flower bed, they became active again. Some years they bloom and some they don’t, but I’m always thrilled when the do. They and the oxblood lilies are often called hurricane lilies because they bloom this time of year when the hurricanes normally get active. And you’re right, the stems and blooms come up before the foliage appears.
      I sure hope you can find some. They come in yellow too.
      Happy fall thoughts to you too, missy! Love and lots of hugs, N 🙂 ❤ ❤ ❤

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  4. “Let’s see! Berries are turning orange, red, or purple, spent perennial flowers are being replaced by seed pods, ornamental grasses are sending up pretty seed heads, the spider and oxblood lilies are in bloom, monarch butterflies are reappearing in the garden, the sun is moving southward, days are shortening, and rain paid us a visit last Saturday.”
    Natalie! It’s a poem, a wonderful poem that tells us “please, pay attention to the beauties around you… As a gardener, I perfectly understand what you mean: Nature helps me, Nature teaches me…” thank you 🙂 ♥

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  8. Pingback: 482. Spring flowers are long since gone. Summer’s bloom hangs limp on every terrace. ~Louise Seymour Jones | Teacher as Transformer

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