Ode to August

August, the month when:

The kochia in the fencerow or the vacant lot, having grown waist-high, turns it velvet rabbit-ear leaves into miniature grape nuts covered in yellow dust.

The cheat grass, leaning over in July, lies in a mat covering the ground, smothering anything that might try to grow under it.

The summer fallow fields lay clodless and smooth, awaiting the rain that will enable fall planting, or another tilling to get the weeds coming on since the last rain.

Recently harvested wheat fields begin to turn green as the thistles that will become tumbleweeds begin to emerge above the stubble, and the sunflowers pop up yellow circles on whiskery stems.

The spruce trees planted last spring, many of them, give up entirely and let their needles fall.  How many will I need next spring, to replace the failures?

It’s time to check the project list drawn up last March.   Many items will have to be scratched, maybe next year.  Not enough time nor energy to get them done this summer.  One or two jobs will leap to the top of the list.  Have to get that done before the snow flies.

In the mailbox, an inaudible bell rings, the letter from the school district reminding everyone it’s almost time to return to class.

A weed emits a pungent odor somewhere between dill and a sugar-scented skunk.  It, too, signals time to return to school.

If you are lucky enough to be on the faculty, you have a week of in-service meetings to look forward to.

On the road edges, tiny yellow blossoms from flat-spreading vines warn you not to step there or you will end up with a shoeful of sand tacks.

Roadside stands pop up peddling Rocky Ford melons or Colorado peaches.

Farmers’ markets explode with vegetables and fruit.

Volleyball teams take to the freshly varnished gym floors.

Football teams gather on lush green lawns.

Summer, angry and afraid because it’s almost over, scorches with a vengeance after taking a break for July’s cool monsoon.

Time to think about getting wheat seed read for planting.

It’s August, and folks everywhere are saying, “Where did the summer go?”