Well, This Is Just Not Cool

30 degrees in Saranac Lake Sunday night, August 19.

I ventured out to the gardens yesterday and needed a coat. A brisk wind and 62 degrees for a high feels mighty cold to my summer warmed skin. Both my body and brain are not ready for this.

That 'fall panic' feeling hits me like a wet, smothering blanket "Must get food in the freezer. Now!"

It takes a lot of mental force and deep breathing to push that panic away. I finally convince myself there's still plenty of time.

And then I see our young maples already colored up with their fall oranges and reds and immediately return to panic mode.

"But it's still August," I try harder to convince myself. The butterflies and hummingbird moths are still adding to the bright colors of the buddleias. Huh, I thought I read somewhere that butterflies needed to have air temps of at least 70 degrees to fly. Well, blows that fact all to hell, if it was even a fact to begin with.

"Ah, see, hummers and monarchs are still here, plenty of time."

And then my eyes scan the sky for the source of that echoing, depressing sound. The recognizable 'V' honks gracefully by overhead, their dark wings seemingly made a few shades darker against the deep mottled gray of the clouds hanging low above them.

I sigh and frown as that panic feeling washes over me once again.