Leaning Toward Autumn

The title for this post comes from a quote from The Golden Circle: A Book of Months by Hal Borland with paintings by Anne Ophelia Dowden (1977).

In the chapter for July, Borland wrote,

“The season actually begins to lean toward autumn in July, though we are reluctant to admit it.”

I came face to face, or rather face to petal with that leaning when I saw a few mums, a traditional autumn flower, beginning to bloom this morning.

I am also reluctant to admit it!

Mid-July is hardly the end of summer, never mind that around here, school starts up again at the end of July. The big box stores are already packed with back-to-school supplies, which, in some cases, have pushed out the garden displays of spring and early summer.

Borland went on to write, “Once we have passed the solstice we are on the long incline that leads to October and the falling leaf. Daylight begins to shorten. The sun, as we say, already edging southward again.”

Daylight is shortening, we cannot deny it. And some days, like today, are cooling off just a bit, though I know that isn’t the case everywhere. But when I went out into the garden this morning, the breeze definitely had an unexpected coolness. I don’t think the temperature even got to 80F today.

I was able to work for several hours weeding and tidying up without breaking a sweat.

But enough about my weather and early blooming mums.

Back to this book.

This book is a welcome addition to my growing shelf of month by month books.

The essays that Borland wrote for each month are thoughtful and beautiful, matching the watercolor illustrations by the botanical artist Anne Ophelia Dowden.He wrote an essay for each month and she chose some of the flowers and plants from each essay for the illustrations.

For July, she drew white clover, bird’s-foot trefoil, and rabbit-foot clover

Published in 1977, there are only used copies available.

One other thought before we close this book, which I will re-open for August.

Borland also wrote in the chapter for July, “Now they buy their winter leisure.”

I mulled that over as I weeded and deadheaded. Yes, that’s a perfect way to describe the second half of July. We are buying our winter leisure and leaning toward autumn.