Summer’s sweltering heat has finally passed. The cool breeze blows across the hills and cools the soul. The colors of the leaves ripen with beauty. Fall comes as a welcome break from long, activity filled summer.

I pass by the remains of the plants once so prolific during the height of the summer. Now they are just sticks out of the ground. But if I look hard enough, I can see the summer basil leaves sticking out of a dead stalk. I see the corn standing so high just budding with succulent corn husks, now tan and falling back into the earth.

Fall is the time of reflection. I see all of the plants I worked so hard to propagate, cultivate and harvest. I see where I made a mistake and where a little experiment made the plants grow huge. Just notes for next year, but vitally important to keep track of.

The colors deepen with my thoughts. Summer is always so busy with work, play, sun, fun and events. The term “busy bees” seems quite fit as I reflect upon the swarm of honey bees above our bee boxes on the hottest of summer days. Now they are gathering what nutrients they can and huddling into their boxes just as we prepare for winter.

Summer is gone and fall is in full force. What is your favorite season?

Photos: Unsplash

By Jake Frazier

Jake Frazier is an outdoor enthusiast and the owner of Residential Ecology, a sustainable ecological resource management company. He uses existing natural systems to improve the quality of life for both humans and the Earth. Jake is interested in permaculture, living systems and exploring. Connect with him on LinkedIn.