A few mornings ago, I biked to the lake. The weather was just wonderful, and I had a lot of fun! Anyway, I took a few pictures and thought I'd share some of them with you. Enjoy! :)

The Smells of Summer

I stand at the end of the street. The first day of fall is tomorrow, but the smells of summer still dance around me. This is my reminder, why I love this time of year. I have been walking through the neighborhood, enjoying twilight's end. Darkness is fast approaching, and now I stand and simply breathe.

As I look around,  I see that the sprinklers have somehow manage to elude crispy grass in more than one yard; they have soaked pavement instead. A neighbor has recently mowed, leaving behind the smell of cut grass to mingle with warm wet pavement.

It has been hot today. Now, in the twilight, dryers are being started. The fast approaching night has promised cooler temperatures, thus luring some industrious person to finish a job started hours earlier. Dryer air piped through vents adds a third layer in this last aromatic dance of summer.

The BBQ party down the street has also generously contributed to this final salute. Cooked meat and burning leaves add a rich and almost woodsy aroma about our subdivision.

I am content to watch another delightful summer come to a close. Open window weather has just arrived, and I am now more grateful than ever for the hot weather we've had.

Fall is here. And this closing, this page turning, brings hope for a new and glorious season, not just for the cooler temperatures and gold-burnished leaves, but also for my life. My senior year has begun, and as I get ready to transition into college life, I can say with confidence, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." I can look forward to the challenges of this year, and the changes of the next.

I will walk home now; twilight has just ended. The dance is almost over, but the song will last. Welcome, Autumn.