I’M BEGINNING TO FEEL this sense of urgency, as if I need to spend more time outdoors taking in the natural world. It’s not a new feeling, but rather one which rolls into my thoughts at August’s end. When the calendar flips to September, everything shifts. I see it, hear it, smell it, feel it.
Outside my front door, massive mophead hydrangeas are drying, morphing from green to brown. Once lush phlox are less full. Maple leaves, in hues of orange and yellow, litter the lawn. All over town, trees are beginning to change color.
Crickets chirp. Cicadas buzz. School buses roll past my house. Everything is shifting. And nowhere is that more noticeable than in a garden.
And so I encourage you, if you live in a place that will soon change to cold and colorless, to enjoy the flowers while they are still blooming, as I did recently at the Rice County Master Gardeners Teaching Gardens.
Come, walk with me through this space with its beds of blooms, its textured perennials, its overall loveliness.
Or find your own garden in your place. Walk. Sit. Take it all in. And when the season shifts, when the flowers are long gone, when the trees have dropped their leaves, then remember this time, these days. Remember the beauty of it all. Remind yourself in the depths of winter how you paused to appreciate these days of summer transitioning into autumn.
© Copyright 2024 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
it’s very good to pause to enjoy the slow shift into fall. Our leaves have already started to fall a bit, colors are shifting and temps are cooling. It was noticeable after being gone 12 days. Your pictures paint a lovely picture of the beauty still to be seen.
Returning from a get-away certainly makes one realize how quickly the landscape changes. I’m lamenting that here it is, not even 8 pm, and it’s mostly dark.
What a lovely post. Lovely. Thank you for sharing and for the reminder.
You’re welcome, Kathy, and thank you for appreciating my post today.
beautiful. kg
Awwwww…thank you, Kathy.
I so understand the desire to so, Audrey. the subtle changes are here and continue to grow even as the natural world around us gets ready for the resting season. just yesterday, I took pictures of a lovely garden I often pass as a walk into town, where the homeowner grows the most beautiful sunflowers and vines each year. I take pictures of the majesty of the tall flowers and also too a picture of a creative way he chose to decorate the house with a couple of them. perhaps tomorrow’s post. your pictures are so beautiful and thanks for taking us on the walk with you
Beth, I look forward to your post showing us the beauty you saw and documented.
looks like it will not be until Friday for the sunflowers post, as only one of my two photos turned out. no worries, I ‘ll be back trying to take another one tomorrow )
Totally understand.
I have felt a sense of urgency also – to get outside and enjoy every beautiful moment of perfect weather while there is still time…
We’ve certainly experienced some perfect weather recently to enjoy the outdoors.
Yes! I heartily agree that we should immerse ourselves in the garden right this minute! I will admit that I’ve been doing that all summer long. Our garden right now is a riot of gold as we have black-eyed Susans gone wild throughout our yard. I’m waiting for the fall asters to appear, for the mums to open up, for the crabapples to turn red and invite every hungry bird in the neighborhood over for dinner. Love, love, love this time of year.
What strong visuals you’ve created in your comment, Kathleen, one of the reasons I so enjoy your writing.
Beautiful pictures as always. I agree fall is in the air and has been for a few weeks. I am enjoying the refreshing cooler mornings but I hope the snow holds off
Thank you. I absolutely LOVE this weather. My favorite time of year for many reasons.