The Aging of Summer

Since the humidity finally and thankfully died down, I've been on a mission to battle and win the war on tall grass and weeds around the house. It's getting really dry here, so the dust tends to fly along with the grass once the weed whacker starts whirling.
The landscaping is beginning to show signs of aging; the leaves on the plants are starting to turn a more subtle shade of green, the flowers are becoming more muted as well. When I see this I know the inevitable--fall is getting nearer and nearer and with it cooler nights and eventually the first frost that changes our outdoor habits as we start the hibernation process which means, in our terms, less and less time on the deck.
Still, there's something beautiful in these more muted colors. The plants show the passing of time--it is the aging of summer. The flowering bushes aren't as vibrant as they were in June, but after such a hot summer, they are to be admired for their stamina.
We tend to gravitate toward the more obvious beauty in our world, but when you think about it, there's a great deal of beauty in most everything--even if it's weary and withered.
So, as the summer continues to age, I make the time to stroll around the yard an enjoy it in its maturity. It becomes much easier to look at nature not in the light of dissatisfaction that it's no longer the fresh; I can look at is for its richness of having lived its life to the fullest.
I guess we're kind of that way once we hit middle age; we're no longer as brightly colored in our looks or personalities--we mellow, we deepen, we become richer with time and experience.
Enjoy the aging of summer; its a great time of year.