Approaching the Equinox

 

The wheel of the year turns to September, and the equinox. Astronomical fall begins in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, they are welcoming spring.  

This year, the equinox occurs on September 23.  Because of  our tilted planet, the equinox marks the point at which the sun appears directly overhead at the equator. Day and night are about equal length. You can read more about equinoxes at Space.com

 

Days are getting shorter, now.   We have lost 2 hours, 52 minutes since the summer solstice on June 21.

 

Here, in the Chicago area, there is already a fall like feeling. Bring out the old favorite hoodies and sweaters again. Cool, crisp mornings and blankets at night.  A few nights ago, the furnace came on.

 

 There are cicada shells on the sidewalks, and the ivy is turning colors. Glorious blooms on the ornamental grasses. Milkweed pods are ripening. The Halloween candy is out at Walgreens, and there are signs for flu shots and the latest  COVID vaccine.

 

The seasons are turning, and the leaves that are green turn yellow and red, and brown.   

The leaves that are green

 

The full blue moon of August 30 is a waning crescent now. Next week,  there will be a new moon again.  

 

This is the first week of meteorological fall, and it feels autumnal today, overcast and 60's,  hoodies and long sleeves after the 90's Labor Day weekend.  

 

The  growing season is still ripening tomatoes and zucchini and peppers. The lawn grass may be turning brown, but the wild and ornamental grasses are sporting their seed heads that look like fringes or fox tails. 

And the leaves are still green.  The light through the leaves is glorious. Even the weedy trees that will have to be cut back in a couple of weeks, let them grow now.  

 

The garden sprawls in its wild and overgrown nature. Morning glories climb over the squash vines.