The Changing

Indiana Corn, Lapel IN
Nick Dyakanoff  Photography 

Change is in the air.  It’s all around.  The end of summer and the start of fall is happening.  This is my favorite time of year while living in the Midwest.

  

The summer days of extreme mugginess that melt me down to a puddle of human goo are getting fewer and fewer.  The crisp smells in the early mornings are becoming more and more. Smells that I embrace.  The visuals of change are all around--one of the best natural events of Midwest living has started.  The corn and soybean fields were once rich in vibrant colors of green. Within the last month, they have turned into colors of brittle yellow gold.  Farmers are lining up their harvesting equipment out in their fields to start collecting the long-awaited yield.

Cranberry Hair, Lapel IN
Nick Dyakanoff  Photography 

Teasing colors of oranges, reds, and yellows are peeking out on the leaves of trees.  First, just a few branches show their colors.  Almost like a shy strip tease of what’s to come.  

Each day more and more branches seem to show off a little more color.  Before you know it, all of the trees are peaking in glorious colors.  In some cases, the colors are so magnificent they seem unreal. 

Kokiwanee Nature Preserve, Lagro IN
Nick Dyakanoff  Photography 

A fictitious miracle.  

As if the trees are giving a farewell before they go to sleep.

I love the fall season.  It seems to me the culture in the fall months get focused with a quiet busy-ness.  Kids are back in school.  School sports and activities start to take over schedules.  American Football starts up.  People huddle together on the weekends to watch and cheer on their teams. Summer produce becomes less spectacular. And some are busy collecting produce to take home to can or freeze.  Workloads at work seem to start building up a little.  Got to finish that project before the holiday season starts.  Or before it gets too cold outside to be able to work…

  

I feel it and see it every year.  It makes me wonder if this quiet busy-ness is a cultural phenomenon that has been engrained into us?   Or if it’s a natural habit that is part of our build in DNA?  Hunter-gatherers are getting ready for the cold, desolate, dark season.

Hominy Ridge Lake, Lagro IN
Nick Dyakanoff  Photography 

I’ve been writing for this Blog for just over a year. This is something that I thought I would never do… write stuff and put it out for the world to view.  Within this last year of producing written work for you to read, I have learned a lot about myself and writing.  I find myself trying to figure out how to put things into writing.  I see myself trying to figure how I might try to describe someone or something in writing. Or I replay a conversation in my head that I might have found interesting.  Then I try and use that conversation for a story that I may be playing out in my head. 

I’ve learned that writing can be a wonderful outlet to escape into.  And writing is not as easy as it appears.  

I still struggle with writing and posting to the blog.  I think I am still trying to figure out how best to utilize this blog.  I want to share stories from my childhood.  But sometimes I feel this blog is not the right platform to use for that. 

I guess I’m trying to learn the audience.  And plus I’m still getting a grasp of how long a blog post should be.  I don’t want to post long 5000 word posts.  But some of my Alaska stories will most likely be that long.  Plus I seem to use the word/letter “I” a lot, and “I’m” wanting to get way from that.  Maybe I will change the point of view and have a new character that isn’t me for the Alaska stories.  

Regardless, joining this blog and exercising different parts of my brain has brought good healthy changes for me.  I feel more aware of things around me.  I’m looking more to see details and to possibly use in a blog post. 

I like the changes that I see outside during the fall season and I like the changes that I see within my thought process.