Good Things from September

It’s happening!

I usually love September. But this has been the most stressful one ever. Amirite? The summer was pretty nice around here, frankly. But back-to-school is scary.

That said, September had its moments. On the last evening before school started, my fifteen-year-old made a bonfire, and we roasted marshmallows while bats flew by overhead in the darkening sky. And the next morning, I remembered to take their picture before Thing 1 drove Thing 2 off to his first day of high school.

I’m usually the kind of mom who forgets to take a photo. But this is the last year I’ll have two kids at home in school, so I guess that was enough to remind me.

The first apples of the season are in! I’m fond of slightly-underripe Ginger Golds in September. Our earliest tree here in the yard is called Yellow Transparent, but they’re really only good for sauce. (Spoiler: we’ve already eaten lots of sauce!) Next month we’ll get the really interesting varieties.

The monarch butterflies are back. They’re making chrysalises on the milkweed. I see them everywhere. Also spotted: a blue heron, and some kind of chonky owl in the yard. No lethal animals this month. Sorry.