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. 

Last Days of August

 These last days of August, and the End of Summer Sales, just in time for Labor Day.  Thoughts turn to fall things--flu shots and  school routines.

It's not even Labor Day yet, but Halloween things are out  already.

Tropical storm Idalia has intensified into a hurricane, heading for Florida. It is expected to make landfall on August 30, as a Category 3 Hurricane.  Evacuation orders are in place, and  storm surge warnings.  President Biden has pledged disaster relief already.

 Meanwhile,

A shooting in Jacksonville, FL.

A shooting in Chapel Hill

And Mugshot Day in Fulton county  Have you seen the mugshot T-shirts, the mugs, the shot glasses?

 There have been surprising summer movies--Have you seen Barbie?  Have you seen Oppenheimer?

It's been a summer of wildfires, flooding and tornadoes.  Heat wave even here, 2 days of Hot 100 inferno, 115 real feel. Then,  cold front  and cool breeze--bliss!  Weather in Paradise the last few days, but back in the 90's for the weekend. 

The season's changing, summer riding by on a bicycle.

Changing seasons--

 Plumes on the autumn grasses, purple morning glories climbing over  orange-yellow squash blossoms.

Fireflies are finished, and the dog day cicadas are lying on the sidewalks. Not all  crying  done, some will buzz and fly away. 

The dog Star Sirius is back with Orion the Hunter in the predawn sky.  You can read more about it here, at EarthSky

A time between seasons now.   The second  full moon of August  is on August 30--they call this a blue moon.   You can read more about it  here.

Last night the moon was almost full, rising through the summer trees. In the leaves, it seemed the moon was green. 

Mid- August Now

 Mid-August, and a new moon tonight. Now is the time of ripening tomatoes, peppers, beans and eggplants. 

The day lilies are just about finished, but the queen-anne's lace and the sky-blue chicory are still going strong. The giant sunflowers are beautiful now.

Also blooming now, the late-summer flowers,  white flowers of hostas and moon flowers,  the lavender -pink flowers of the Rose of Sharon bushes.

And the seedpods of milkweeds, ripening

Seedheads on the ornamental grasses, luminous in the sun,  drops of water like jewels after the rain.

Yes, much-needed rain here, but still dry conditions,  and falling yellow leaves.

Mid-August afternoon, and the sound of acorns falling.

Still time for the summer chairs, and watching fireflies.  The Perseid meteors  may be past their peak, but  it is not too late to see some.

It's been a summer of heat waves and wildfires, tornadoes and floods. They are saying this will be the hottest summer the world has ever seen. 

Heat index over 100 is possible here next week.

 

The Moons of August

 

 

 

Is there anything more beautiful than the summer moons?  Yes, every night the moon is beautiful, but there is something very special about the summer moons, the fireflies, and a warm breeze through green leaves...

August begins with a full moon, the Sturgeon Moon. This moon is extra big and bright, the closest approach to earth in its orbit. They call this a supermoon.

I hope you had a chance to see it.  There are many photos from all over the world online. You can see some here,  from Space.com.  But even if you missed it, the waning moon is still wonderful to see, like a wisp of cloud in the morning sky.

There will be a new moon, beginning again on August 16.  Keep this in mind if you are looking for the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks on August 13-14.   

 The second full moon of August will be on August 30.  They are calling this a blue moon,  not because the moon will be blue, but because this doesn't happen very often.  Once in a blue moon used to mean something almost impossible.  

Has the moon ever turned blue?  Yes, according to Space. com.  The ash from the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano  in 1883 caused unusually vivid sunsets, and also gave the moon a bluish green color! You can read more about it here. 

 

 

Watches and Warnings

 This is the summer of wildfires and floods, and tornadoes!  

As I write this, on July 16, tornado watches have been issued for parts of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island until 3 PM EDT.

In the Chicago area, on July12,  there were watches and warnings. According to the National Weather Service, there were at least 11 confirmed tornadoes on the evening of July 12.  Fortunately, there are no reported casualties or injuries.

What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?

---  A tornado WATCH  means there are conditions that could produce tornadoes.   

Pay attention, and be prepared. 

--- A tornado WARNING  means a tornado has been spotted in the area.   

Take shelter immediately.  Go down to the basement, if you have one.  Or an interior room, away from windows.

 Have multiple ways to receive weather updates---TV, a weather radio,  regular radio, a warning on your phone. In spite of current problems, Twitter is a good way to receive the latest information from the National Weather Service, and @NWSTornado.  

Have your emergency bag ready, just in case. This includes important papers,  prescription drugs,  extra batteries, a flashlight.  Food and water.  Bring a  hoodie, just in case.  Wear sturdy shoes like sneakers--not flip-flops.  

Don't forget your pets!  They should have food and water,  too.  Keep a  leash or a carrier handy. 

Make sure your phone is charged. And/or if you have a landline,  have an outlet to plug it in.  Landlines are still a reliable way to stay connected. 

Even if you don't have to face an actual tornado or severe weather situation, having a plan and being prepared will get you thinking about what's important to you.  Family photos? The book you're currently reading? Your mother's pin?  Your cat's favorite cat toys?  

Like the perversity of tornadic winds,  people will also take the strangest things. Red lipstick. A treasured baseball card.  For me, it's my old  black cashmere sweater, whatever the weather. 

 

 

 

Days of Day Lilies

 Now it's July, and we have lost over 8 minutes of daylight since the summer solstice.  

The quarter moon on June 26 was kind of peachy colored, from the smoke from the wildfires in Canada.  For days, too, Chicago  and Detroit had the worst air quality in the world!  

But the recent heavy rains have cleared the air some.  The downpours also caused flooded streets and basements.  So, the clean-up begins, The drought has eased,  but dry conditions remain here.  

 Now, the alleys are in bloom with hollyhocks, milkweeds, blue spider wort, and orange day lilies. A rainbow of summer flowers, beautiful and resilient.

The full moon on July 3 was especially big and bright--a supermoon!

And July 4, fireworks and the still full moon, and fireflies....

This summer of fires and rain, still such beauty, here.