Today, a random question shocked me. My colleague asked about my Labor Day plans. What? I grabbed my calendar and confirmed the distressing truth. Labor Day, summer’s death knell, is a few weeks away. In 41 days, we mark the Autumn Equinox. Where did summer go? I have noticed the daily sunsets are earlier, and sunrises are a little late. A hint of fall creeps in at unexpected moments. It stalks my verdant garden.

This year’s legacy is craziness, unanticipated adjustments, and boatloads of uncertainty. Caught in the whirlwind of making it all work, time has evaporated. Like it or not, summer must soon give way to crisp breezes and falling leaves. Summer is not lost. September yet lies on the horizon, and the opportunity to reclaim the expansive vacation hours I remember from my childhood, rest in the tip of my pen.

I won’t let September steamroll me, leaving regret for missing the charms of another season. My best hot weather friend, my air conditioner, will find me absent. There are flowers to smell, a game of hide-and-seek to play with the baby bunnies in my yard, and joy to discover. I have scheduled a visit to the farmer’s market to select corn on the cob, celebrate vine-ripened tomatoes, and pick blueberries for a fabulous tart. There is still a chance to read a brilliant book on the patio while enjoying my favorite iced coffee. I expect grilled veggies to taste better, and the evening stars to shine brighter.

How will you extend your summer?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer