favorite things about fall

1. Joe Pye weed, pictured above. Dusty mauve flowers on lanky stems, often visited by butterflies, it's a sign the end of summer is near.
2. Sunflowers as tall as the porch roof.
3. The county fair. The sheep and goats. Cheese curds. The dairy place with real strawberry ice cream...with real strawberries. 
4. Geese. Every time we go for a walk now, they are winging their way to or back from a big pond somewhere. Probably Swan Lake. 
5. Food. Even sweet corn is a harbinger of autumn. Tomatoes...we're going to make the tomato tart at least one more time. Peppers. Plan to stuff, grill and freeze them. Nothing tastes better in January than grilled peppers in an omelet. End of summer food.
6. Sounds. No more tractor pulls and baseball games. The sound of Friday night football on the hill.
7. Shorter days. Waking at 3 am, I have almost four hours of dark before the sun is fully up. By September, I am still awake when it gets dark.
8. Food. Meatloaf and baked potatoes. Soup. Pot roast with root vegetables. Baked squash. Fresh bread with crisp crust you can hear crackle as it cools.
9. Birds. Finches, turning dirty yellow, flit around the bird feeder. Cardinals, the young pair have taken up residence and sent the old folks somewhere else. Hummingbirds stocking up before they fly to warmer spots for the winter.
10. Friends. Some go back to school. Some leave for the winter.
11. Hot tub. Maybe a couple nights under the stars.
12. Family. Two grandsons starting school. A granddaughter going to a new school. Parties move indoors. Goodbye pontoon! Goodbye swimming pool!