A beautiful dark gloomy day.

 Just what the garden needs.  It's RAIN day.  We've had more than a couple of 5-minute bursts of rain that are quite heavy and the garden and gardener are very, very happy.  The earth gets a drink.  My little rake has been busy as well as the clippers and there are a few piles of weeds and clippings to gather at some point.  The ground is no longer white and hard and full of wide cracks.  The Lake Superior rocks are wet!!!  There is oregano, thyme, and lavender in this picture that got clipped and weeded between rain storms.  I know what a rain-soaked back feels like.  

This day really feels like fall has arrived. The doors and windows are closed because the outside air is a bit chilly.  The college football game is on and the big mug is filled with hot tea.  I would say those elements of fall have arrived.  How long it will stay with a sure bet that Indian Summer will arrive at some point is expected.   So once again there is a change in the air, a marker of time and something to  embraced knowing that cycles of many kind are a good thing and need to be anticipated.  The next few days will be filled with clipping and raking. a fall activity.