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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

I can see fall from the island

April Wamhoff
Posted 9/21/22

We are all talking about the change of weather. Come on, you know you are. You know the polite, non-political, non-religious, non-sports team topic we talk about at the grocery store, the post …

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I can see fall from the island

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We are all talking about the change of weather. Come on, you know you are. You know the polite, non-political, non-religious, non-sports team topic we talk about at the grocery store, the post office, or with the waitress at the local restaurant. It’s changing and we can see fall from here.
It’s certainly changing out here on the rock.
When the tomatoes, cucumbers and green peppers really started producing, just before the deer ate them, it didn’t seem like a forerunner to fall. Nor when the apples really started looking nice and red. It didn’t seem like mother nature was winking her all-knowing eye at us. I turned my back on the obvious and just enjoyed the bounty. And yet something in the back of my head was whispering, ever so quietly, fall is on the way.
I’ve started paying much more attention to the weather forecast and the moon phases trying to anticipate the first frost. A lot of the house plants have already made the bi-annual journey back into the house but the summer plants that I try to over winter are still out there. They will need to find a winter home by a window or grow light. I’m sure they don’t really like the plan, but they don’t understand the alternative, Yet….
And then there’s the sense of urgency to finish all those things that have been getting put off since, well, spring, when the list was penned. It all seemed possible then when the days were getting longer instead of shorter. Now the list is going to have to be shortened and triaged to decide what can go on next years spring list.
There are the fall chores that must be done every year. Kind of the reverse of the spring chores that, well, must be done every year. Docks must come up and boats stored. I see many docks on the lake are already up. The windows have to have plastic back on them. What seemed to be bright, sunny and airy this spring must get that cozy, tucked in feeling for winter. The woodshed must be topped off. Hummingbird feeders will need to come in and bird seed feeders need to be found, fixed and ready to go back up after the lake freezes over.
I’d love to pack in and stay for freeze up like my neighbor does, but I have obligations that prevent me from doing that. So, I will ready the house and when Stuntz Bay gets its first crust of ice, I will give my home a hug and head off. It’s always a bad day and I hope it doesn’t last too long. The boys and I will stalk the landing twice daily and keep track of the ice. Maybe even make a trip back from McKinley Park for a weekend if the weather permits.
I’m ahead of myself though. The leaves are just starting to turn, and they will be beautiful until they fill my bay. And who can resist the lovely fall days with just a light coat. It truly is my favorite time of the year. Still, fall is on the way. I can see it from here.