September at the Acres

Goings on at The Acres:
This afternoon was spent mowing the back meadow and paths in the wild area. I love to mow. A couple hours of solitude meandering through nature--even if by mower and not by feet--is quite peaceful. Just meditate, relax, and take in the beauty. This time of year the wild area is a yellow sea waving in the breeze. Here and there are islands of pink thistles loaded with butterflies and bees, small ponds of blue lobelia and hibiscus--white, pink, and red. Lots of purple iron weed as well. It seems to be a down year for asters though--unless I'm just being impatient (imagine that). Not many dainty white heath asters and even fewer purple and pink New England asters. Maybe I'll get a few more later. Tomorrow. I'll mow the front. The big mystery of 2019--other than the asters--is the almost total disappearance of the Japanese beetles. Usually, i have hundreds upon hundreds. This summer I don't think I've seen even a dozen. Now, don't get me wrong; I don't miss the pests. May they never return! It just seems a little strange.
The goldfish are back. I was a little leery because all summer I had a family of green herons hanging out at Iten's Pond. But today when I wandered by the pond--hundreds of the little golden beauties in huge schools. How did they know the green hunters had moved on? Must have an ornithologist on the payroll. The heron were too gorgeous and sassy to chase away, but it appears no damage was done--to the goldfish population anyway. The weather was magic as well. Crisp.
After a week of days at school and several evenings cheering on the Warriors in their athletic endeavors, home for the weekend restores my soul. Lazy days, lazier walks, refreshing ride on the mower, cool weather, beauty in all forms--blue skies with white clouds, flowers here and there (phlox and goldenrod everywhere), my feathered friends, the return of the golden stars of the pond in the midst of islands of water lilies, my soul dances. Thank you Father for the gift of beauty you've allowed me to enjoy on the last steps of my journey. Grace indeed!