A New Season

By: 
Jane Clark

There’s a nip in the air—a change that signals fall has finally arrived.  The first days with cooler temperatures make me consider turning on my gas fireplace for extra warmth.  I hesitate, and then reach instead for a sweater to take away the chill.

The resonant droning of the cicada is silent now. They have gone underground for winter. One lone cricket chirps faintly, reluctant to give in to its limited life cycle. My garden shows inevitable signs that the growing season is past. Tomato vines hang on their cages like limp tangles of yarn.  Lifeless plants that once produced abundantly are now bowing down to the earth.  Sunflowers and zinnias have developed seeds that I will gather for next year’s blooms.

My cherry trees and blackberries provided a plentiful harvest this year, and the apples grew sweeter as the days shortened. They will add to my supply of fruit for the winter ahead. Persimmons are turning a mellow orange, and I’ve begun processing their pulp for tasty persimmon pudding. Walnuts drop to the ground and turn black; the perfect time to remove the outer hulls and collect the nuts that will add richness to my Christmas cookies.

Fewer birds sing overhead in my shade trees, and soon the air will be filled with the call of wild geese heading for a warmer climate.  The cats hang closer by the doorway, hoping to stake their claim to a secret nook indoors where they can avoid the cold weather.

Another growing season has passed. I linger outside on sunny afternoons until a chill in the air causes me to seek shelter. When winter arrives I will reluctantly spend my time doing indoor activities, waiting for the day when the earth will warm again and usher in a new growing season.

Jane Clark has been a member of Writers Bloc for fourteen years and is Co-director of the group that meets twice a month at the Salem Public Library. She writes poetry, essays, memoirs and fiction. Her first novel True Allegiance is available on Amazon and Books A Million.

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