September's Song

As the seasons turn, and summer refrains fade out to be replaced by autumn's crisp melodies, it's a great time to reflect on times past and to start looking ahead to the future.

A fun place to do both of these things is the county fair. Here you can hold on to vestiges of summer fun enjoying the rides, refreshments, and many sights of fair life - the farm animals, crafts, and bounties of summer harvests ... and at the same time look ahead to the arrival of shorter days and cooler temps, gleaning inspiration from the many exhibits for creative endeavors you too might pursue in the coming winter months.

Susan at the fair's entrance

Kevin on the ferris wheel ride

A bird's eye view of the fair

Kevin and I always enjoy attending our county fair in September to celebrate the end of summer and usher in a new autumn. A ride on the ferris wheel at sunset has become our tradition!

Our September was especially memorable this year in that we went on our long awaited homeymoon venture to southern Florida. We were able to squeeze in a beach holiday and relished the beautiful, nearly deserted beaches of Sanibel Island. We languished in the warm Gulf waters and searched for shells along the shore.

We also visited Everglades National Park with it's endless "rivers of grass" dotted by snowy white egrets. Outside the park, we took an airboat ride through the glades at an alligator farm. Our airboat guide made us his guests of honor. We're guessing not too many people show up at his alligator farm on their honeymoon :)

After heading south and exploring the gorgeous, tropical Florida Keys, we started the long trek back north up the coast, making a stop at the Kennedy Space Visitor's Center at Cape Canaveral. It was truly amazing to get a glimpse of the very space vehicles that traveled to the moon and back and see the actual equipment used to launch current space missions out into the great beyond.

At the close of the summer season, nature had one more surprise in store for us ... these lovely pale blue and pink morny glories sprung up around our pond. They may have grown from the wildflower seeds left over from packets we'd distributed as wedding favors. I'd strewn some of these flower seeds around the pond, not sure what might come up!

We're preparing for cold nights now, chopping and stacking firewood to keep our cabin warm ... looking back at a beautiful summer of love and wondrous memories and looking forward to the seasonal turn of the wheel and new ventures that lie ahead.