Just a hint

On this moonlit evening,  I can feel the first beckoning of fall.  There is a light breeze stirring the trees and just a bit less humidity in the air.  The light in the late afternoon has cast longer shadows.  And today I saw the first sulfur butterfly float past me.  These are signs telling me that soon the oppressive heat will be gone, and my favorite time of year will begin.

It has been a summer of mostly favorable happenings.  The good stuff which actually made memories included my retiring with some decorum, getting a lot of time on the water sailing and living aboard for several days, finding a boat that has captured my imagination and some of my heart,  and celebrating another year in recovery with my partner.  The bad thing that occurred was the suicide of a friend.  In the overall rating of summers,  I would say that it was memorable. And hot, very hot.

I can't say that I have been particularly productive over the past few months.  But I rationalize this by telling myself that this is my first summer "off" for a long time.  So I'm giving myself a break and not sinking into guilt.  In fact,  I could get too used to being an idle farmer and roving sailor.  But the farmer can't be idle much longer because the fall crops have to be planted.  The garden is almost weeded, the dead plants have been pulled, and it is time to till the boxes to get ready for collards, cabbage, kohlrabi, and some broccoli. One season turning into another--the cycle of life.

And the roving sailor will have plenty to do once the boat comes out of the yard and is at the marina.  There will be decks to be painted with non-skid, brass ports to be polished, teak to be varnished, and some wire brushing of the engine parts.  I will have to quell my desire to get everything done at once and practice the patience that I have learned in recovery. 

Soon the heat will be reduced to something in the 80's and maybe even in the 70's if we're lucky.  And that will make every job easier.  In the meantime,  I am not going to project about atmospheric disturbances off the Cape Verde Islands,  and what the last part of August and early September could bring.  This is a one day at a time program, and I'm going to stick to that.  In fact, I'm not going to think about hurricane season right now at all. 

Instead,  I'm going to go have a dinner of eggplant parmesana and insalata caprese, followed by some fresh watermelon.  Maybe we will actually eat dinner on the screen porch tonight.  Yes, there is just enough of a hint of fall in the air that it has me a bit wistful.  All good things will come in time.