TheBanyanTree: As the Crow Flies

[Margaret R. Kramer]

We’ve had some spectacular falls over the past few years here in Minnesota.
I’m hoping that we will have another one to top off this beautiful summer.
We got to 90 degrees yesterday, but it didn’t feel that bad to me, so I didn
’t turn on the air conditioning.  With fuel and electrical costs predicted
to soar this winter, I guess I might as well prepare myself to be
uncomfortable.  We used our fans and there was a strong breeze from the
south and with our oak trees’ shade, our house was kept relatively cool.

Acorns have been plopping on the roof and the yard and the deck these past
few weeks.  Ray did the first preliminary raking of our yard.  There are few
scattered leaves flying down from the trees, but the real color show is
about six weeks away.

I took advantage of the exceptionally nice Saturday and got my car washed
and cleaned inside and out.  I love my little VW and with its new engine
from a couple of years ago, I should have that car for a long time to come.
I love it when it’s clean on the inside, too.

It’s been nice not to have the house listed right now.  I’ve been lax in
picking up the dog poop.  I don’t immediately put the dishes in the
dishwasher.  I leave stuff lying around again.  We’ll coast this way for a
while until we get the new carpet in and then re-list the house with a fresh
agent and a fresh look (and hopefully, a fresh smell).  Gazillions of houses
are being listed right now and I don’t see many in my “saved” database being
sold.  It truly is a buyer’s market.  I also read that the last quarter is
when sales are the lowest because of school and the holidays.  Well, we’ll
just keep trying.  Hopefully, with the dogs gone (sigh) and the new carpet,
our house will look interesting to someone.

A flock of grackles took over yard towards dusk yesterday.  They surrounded
the bird feeder and bird bath.  They must be migrating, because I don’t
normally ever see grackles in my yard at any other time.  Fall is coming,
even the birds feel it and are moving on its wind.

The crows have been noisy these past few mornings.  They’ve been sitting in
our trees cawing their hearts out.  I wonder what’s up with them?  They don’
t migrate, so maybe they’re sad because they know this great summer is about
to end and the cold weather is creeping closer.

And, finally, it’s 9/11, a creepy date to write and will always be for me
and anyone who remembers this day from four years ago.  The horror has
faded, but the shock of what happened has not.  I remember today all the
innocent victims who died in New York, at the Pentagon, and in a field in
Pennsylvania.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at comcast.net

http://www.bpwmn.org
Business and Professional Women of Minnesota

I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.  ~Mark Twain