From My Window

Issue Date: August 25, 2021

On the Verge

By Jane Thibodeau Martin,

**********

On my weekly drive from Central Wisconsin to Marinette, I was enjoying my normal free-thinking time when I suddenly felt a little shockâ€�..surely I just hadn't just passed a red maple tree branch? But further surveillance as I traveled confirmed it: the early adapter maples are beginning to turn.

Actually my first hint of fall came a bit earlier in the week, when Mike and I got our seasonal flu vaccines. My schedule the day of my drive included taking my mom for her flu shot too. She had said, â€�Already? They are already giving flu shots?â€ But there are only 28 days left until the first â€�officialâ€ day of fall, and I am preparing.

Yesterday in broad daylight I watched a fawn of the year saunter past our fenced-in fruit trees and meander its way into my raspberry patch where it started examining the bushes, to my dismay. Its spots were already gone, and only its diminutive size marked it as a baby. Luckily my husband made a noise in the barn that caused it to stroll into the woods line. Just the morning before, the dogs and I had emerged from the woods trail to see a flock of turkeys in the berry patch. I am becoming resigned to yet another â€�stockadeâ€ so I will have frozen raspberries for pie this winter.

Mornings now require a sweatshirt for my pre-sunrise dog walks. I welcome brisk mornings, deer fly free and energizing. I play a game on dog walks following our gravel road, of how many different species of wildflowers I can spot per walk. My counts have gone from summer highs of 20-21 down to a dozen, with spring and many summer species done for the year, and the fall bloomers just getting started.

Last evening the bluegills in Hank Lake were highly cooperative, as opposed to their mid-summer lethargy. All fish were quickly released, because my time in this pursuit is mainly about listening to and watching my neighbors in the adjacent woods as I fish. People ask me all the time if we eat the fish I catch. They are small but of course we don't eat them, I know them personally.

It is highly entertaining to listen to the turkey families roost at dusk. The flock started on the north side of the lake, crashing and thrashing as they awkwardly tried to get situated up in the trees. After about 15 minutes, most seem to have settled when for no discernable reason, three flew clumsily across the water to the south side of the lake. It was suspenseful, like watching a plane out of fuel desperately trying to make a runway. I was wondering if I'd have to paddle out and retrieve one or two from the water. Once they arrived on land again, they commenced thrashing and crashing trying to get settled in a new tree. Turkeys being turkeys, the dozen or so already roosted on the north side decided they too, should cross over the water, another tense spectacle of abysmal flying skills. (Perhaps being overstuffed with my raspberries made their flying even worse than usual.) I don't know if turkeys can swim â€ I do know I came very close to finding out.

When I quit for the night and walked to the house, I had this deep sense of peace and relaxation â€ so much better than an hour in front of the TV.

The shelter dogs are much happier too. The big dogs in particular dislike high heat. Dogs that made it clear on the oppressively hot summer days that they were ready to return inside in ten minutes now hopefully try to tug me further away at my turnaround spot. I can't always indulge them, with multiple dogs to walk, but I try. I share their joy in the cooler weather.

The garden is now a part-time job, with cucumbers, sweet corn and tomatoes requiring daily picking, and beans every other day. I make pickles, blanch and freeze beans and dehydrate herbs, tomatoes, and apples from our trees. Mike found a recipe for dehydrated cucumber slices I am going to try too, because I am almost like a classic zucchini grower trying to give away our excess cucumbers. My potted flowers are starting to die back, except for the geraniums. Like me, they like the cooler weather and shorter days, and have sent up numerous flower heads to brighten September.

Approximately half the sparse traffic on our gravel road is farm implements right now. All kinds of contraptions for autumn farm operations are working hard. Roadside farm stands are loaded with goodies and our local apple orchard opens for the season this week. I haven't made chili yet, but it won't be long.

It's been a grand summer. I feel deep gratitude daily for that â€ after a difficult 18 months, the miracle of Covid vaccinations gave my loved ones and I some safe freedom back. Freedom without peace of mind is not freedom for me, and millions of others who are health compromised.

Bring on the campfires, fall foods and the pumpkins. Let the show, the spectacular Wisconsin fall colors, begin.

You can reach me for commentary, alternative viewpoints or ideas at this e-mail address: JanieTMartin@gmail.com.

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