For Love of August

Another week has come and gone in the blink of an eye.  I remember last year missing the summer months of the Block-a-Month Crochet-Along and wondering how exactly that happened.  And here it has happened again this year too.  I suppose summer is just too filled with children’s birthdays and family gatherings; with harvesting and preparing and preserving the fruits and vegetables of the season; with the task of making up not one – but two this year – sets of lesson plans for the upcoming homeschool year.  It’s watching my children’s summer growth spurt and scouting yard sales for new clothes to last them until their winter growth spurt.  It’s going to playgrounds and parks, staying up late to catch lightning bugs, and enjoying the sunshine and blue skies with barbecues and picnics with friends and family alike.

All the while, my mind drifts back to the projects that are patiently waiting for me, neatly organized in boxes in the back room.  A basket full of wool sits next to the spinning wheel.  A queue is re-evaluated and readjusted, knowing that the long, long, winter which seems so far away is really just right around the corner, and before I know it, I’ll be stuck inside once more through the blistery cold nights.

August is the last hurrah of summer.  The last month of lush, thick green on the trees before they start to sparkle with reds, golds, and purple.  It seems to be the month of changes as well.  We wave goodbye to those leaving home, whether for college, a new job, or a new life opportunity; we watch our children start a new school year, minds growing more inquisitive and mature.  We watch nature’s subtle changes, the leaves just starting to turn, even as the days remain long and bright.

As for my children and I, we’re taking advantage of it.  Dinners have been eaten outdoors, impromptu nature outings have brought a stillness long needed, and we have trekked many times deep into the forest, children exploring all sorts of bug life and asking inquisitive questions about how the earth works…

I do so love August.

~Mellie ★