Oh, it's a long long while
From May to December
But the days grow short
When you reach September
These are the opening lines from September song and I woke up with them in my head. Well it is the first day of September after all. There are times when I think I have reached my September. That mostly happens when I get mail from AARP and other senior citizen publications. The other day I picked up a mirror to look at the back of my head, don't know why, but the hair has grown mighty short back there, in places non existent ! The days are growing shorter and the nights are longer, both figuratively and in fact. Funny thing is it doesn't seem like it has been all that long since May. Time has a way of moving forward, relentless and unforgiving. One may forget the past but never change it.
September has always meant back to school and the end of summer to me. I expect some of that is because I grew up where summer was a business. Those vacationers coming to enjoy the beach and the scenic beauty of my hometown and the surrounding area. Termites, Dad called them, they came out of the woodwork in the summer months and where everywhere. A nuisance. They were a necessary nuisance however, providing much needed income to get us through the coming winter. When September arrived it was a relief. It was an ending and a beginning. Labor day marked that ending. As a kid it seemed like that was the last weekend that folks really had to work. After that those dang summer folks would be gone and we could get back to fishing and clamming, might go ducking in the fall. You could go uptown just about anytime you wanted and find a place to park. Yes, September was a welcome sight ! The new school year began and I enjoyed that. Like most kids I was anxious to graduate and become an adult. Couldn't wait, now I want to go back. Funny how that works isn't it ?
September marked a change. A change in the weather and a change in the routine. Soon the potatoes would be dug and crops harvested. Time to pull the boat out of the water, unless of course, it was your work boat. They didn't come out often, just to do the bottom mostly. We put the storm windows in and stored away the screens. Our front door was one of those aluminum ones, with the family initial in it. You had to take the screen out of it and put the glass in it. Those little knobs were always such a pain and Dad hollering at you, don't strip them ! Wouldn't be long before scalloping started up. I would go with Dad every now and again. He loved that and I thought I would freeze to death. Looking back I wish I had gone a lot more often. Nothing like a father and son working the water together. I would think being a farmer would give you the same experience. There are times when I think that is what is missing today, not enough father and sons, mother and daughters, working together. A bond is created there that can not be created any where else. That is because no matter how old you are, your parents keep on parenting ! Some folks need a little extra parenting if you know what I mean.
September is a big birthday month in my family. Mine is in July and I am glad of that. Dad, Mom, both brothers, sister in laws, nieces and nephews all in September. We didn't run out of birthday cake that month. Mom baked a cake for everyone, herself included ! Cake and ice cream was the order of the day and the only party we ever had. Well, when I was sixteen my sister threw me a party at her house. It was the only official birthday party I ever had and most likely ever will have. That's just fine though, makes for a great memory that way.
I did notice the fall grass coming in and the crickets with it. I had one in the house last night. I can see a slight color change in the leaves and a few on the ground. Won't be long before I hear the honking of the geese and " jingle " bells. But, I'm getting ahead of myself a bit. We do have to have labor day first. No parade in Greensboro for that. Time to start putting summer away.
When the autumn weather
Turns leaves to flame
One hasn't got time
For the waiting game
That is pretty much how it goes. I don't have much time for the waiting game either. The fall is crunchy and the winter cold. But it is that time of year that brings family closer together I think. We spend more time indoors and gathering around for the holidays. This too is changing. We have made it comfortable all year round. Families are spread out and don't gather as much. I can remember huddling together on those cold winter days, sitting in front of the fireplace. Unless you went out to play in that weather there wasn't much else you could do. Well, we do remember things more as we wish they had been, then how they actually were. Precious days indeed.
From May to December
But the days grow short
When you reach September
These are the opening lines from September song and I woke up with them in my head. Well it is the first day of September after all. There are times when I think I have reached my September. That mostly happens when I get mail from AARP and other senior citizen publications. The other day I picked up a mirror to look at the back of my head, don't know why, but the hair has grown mighty short back there, in places non existent ! The days are growing shorter and the nights are longer, both figuratively and in fact. Funny thing is it doesn't seem like it has been all that long since May. Time has a way of moving forward, relentless and unforgiving. One may forget the past but never change it.
September has always meant back to school and the end of summer to me. I expect some of that is because I grew up where summer was a business. Those vacationers coming to enjoy the beach and the scenic beauty of my hometown and the surrounding area. Termites, Dad called them, they came out of the woodwork in the summer months and where everywhere. A nuisance. They were a necessary nuisance however, providing much needed income to get us through the coming winter. When September arrived it was a relief. It was an ending and a beginning. Labor day marked that ending. As a kid it seemed like that was the last weekend that folks really had to work. After that those dang summer folks would be gone and we could get back to fishing and clamming, might go ducking in the fall. You could go uptown just about anytime you wanted and find a place to park. Yes, September was a welcome sight ! The new school year began and I enjoyed that. Like most kids I was anxious to graduate and become an adult. Couldn't wait, now I want to go back. Funny how that works isn't it ?
September marked a change. A change in the weather and a change in the routine. Soon the potatoes would be dug and crops harvested. Time to pull the boat out of the water, unless of course, it was your work boat. They didn't come out often, just to do the bottom mostly. We put the storm windows in and stored away the screens. Our front door was one of those aluminum ones, with the family initial in it. You had to take the screen out of it and put the glass in it. Those little knobs were always such a pain and Dad hollering at you, don't strip them ! Wouldn't be long before scalloping started up. I would go with Dad every now and again. He loved that and I thought I would freeze to death. Looking back I wish I had gone a lot more often. Nothing like a father and son working the water together. I would think being a farmer would give you the same experience. There are times when I think that is what is missing today, not enough father and sons, mother and daughters, working together. A bond is created there that can not be created any where else. That is because no matter how old you are, your parents keep on parenting ! Some folks need a little extra parenting if you know what I mean.
September is a big birthday month in my family. Mine is in July and I am glad of that. Dad, Mom, both brothers, sister in laws, nieces and nephews all in September. We didn't run out of birthday cake that month. Mom baked a cake for everyone, herself included ! Cake and ice cream was the order of the day and the only party we ever had. Well, when I was sixteen my sister threw me a party at her house. It was the only official birthday party I ever had and most likely ever will have. That's just fine though, makes for a great memory that way.
I did notice the fall grass coming in and the crickets with it. I had one in the house last night. I can see a slight color change in the leaves and a few on the ground. Won't be long before I hear the honking of the geese and " jingle " bells. But, I'm getting ahead of myself a bit. We do have to have labor day first. No parade in Greensboro for that. Time to start putting summer away.
When the autumn weather
Turns leaves to flame
One hasn't got time
For the waiting game
That is pretty much how it goes. I don't have much time for the waiting game either. The fall is crunchy and the winter cold. But it is that time of year that brings family closer together I think. We spend more time indoors and gathering around for the holidays. This too is changing. We have made it comfortable all year round. Families are spread out and don't gather as much. I can remember huddling together on those cold winter days, sitting in front of the fireplace. Unless you went out to play in that weather there wasn't much else you could do. Well, we do remember things more as we wish they had been, then how they actually were. Precious days indeed.
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