Where did the summer go? – Annie Pang

We’ve had a long, hot and very dry spell of it here in Victoria, as I may have mentioned before. As this marks the end of September, I’ve written and enclosed a bit of a poem and some poetographs to go with it. The pics were taken on a few different days in late September, all in Gorge Park.

A typical day in Victoria sees grey skies with rain coming down in buckets in the morning, only to end with a glorious blue sky and radiant if somewhat watered-down sunshine. Or sometimes it happens in reverse. More often than not, I get poured on if I go for a walk, only to have the sun come out shortly afterwards once I’m home hanging up my wet clothes. Only just today, I was scrambling up the step ladder in the morning to fill the empty suet feeder for the birds as the rain started pelting down. Later in the day, the sky was a lovely clear blue and my clothing was still drying out from my earlier walk! Am I repeating myself?

Yep, it’s Fall all right! With all the hibernation instincts kicking in, while the crispy air beckons me to come outside and enjoy a bit of Nature before it gets too unpleasant. Today there were no camera opportunities during my walk so I was able to go at a more brisk pace…until I conked out, returned home soaked and resumed my chores. Am I repeating myself?

Ironically, with the rain, my dying zucchini plants are yielding some “fruit” now, one of which will be ready for the cooking pot very soon! A few others are about pickle-size but I am hoping they will get enough sun to grow larger. The temps, rain and wind have really changed markedly in the last week though, so it’s outside with the rake and buckets for me to pick up horse chestnuts. I hear a lot of birdsong while I’m outside so, aside from a sore back, I kind of enjoy doing the chore on a limited basis. Of course, I don’t stand a chance of managing all of them as there are four very large trees and it’s just too much for one “light-weight” like me!

The pic of Tillicum Bridge is from Rocky Point in Gorge Park.

The blackberries in the park are being picked over by the birds and the wasps are winding down and becoming very temperamental.

With all this sudden moisture after such a long, dry spell, mushrooms are starting to pop up. I was fascinated with the ones I spotted at the park and have learned that they are Coprinopsis atramentaria, more commonly known as “Inky Caps” or “Common Ink Caps”.

Read on and happy Fall!

Where did the summer go?

Where did the summer go?

I honestly don’t know.

New birdsong comes, I listen

as sunny raindrops glisten.

Against the sparkling ocean

a stalk of grass in motion

sways in the nipping breeze,

not willing yet to freeze.

Each day the sun dips lower

and I move somewhat slower.

Where did the summer go?

I honestly don’t know.

The berries left for birds

call out with silent words,

but mushrooms do not talk,

as into Fall… I walk…

© Annie Pang September 30, 2014.