I Love August

Yesterday at church a seminary student gave the homily. He began by saying how much he hates August and that to him this month is to summer what February is to winter - long and drawn out. He lost all of my attention at this point. It wasn't out of anger because, after all, he is entitled to his own opinion, but because I began to drift off and think about the many reasons I love August. It happens to be the month of my birthday but, more than this, it's the time of the season that I'm relaxed and beginning to look forward to going back to work while still appreciative of the vacation time I have left. I love fall and in August I begin to notice signs of the inevitable changes of the season - the changes in light, leaves, temperature and even the length of time between cricket chirps in the evening. In addition to this the days, while still warm, are not a likely to be as stiflingly hot as July. Oh yeah, and the Minnesota State Fair is on the horizon too (I believe it begins this year on August 25). The photo you see with this post is of a neighbor's blooming boulevard that I spotted on one of my walks today - a beautiful August day.