August

August is upon us! You know, I’ve always liked the month of August, though I can’t exactly say why. I suppose it’s because August is the month where everything is ripening and “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord” as Psalm 33:5 tells us. That has always been one of my favorite passages. It is so true, too. It is never more apparent than in August.

My brother, Jason, showing off the big sunflower.

I heard many people say they don’t much care for the month of August because of the oppressive heat and dog days and the like. For me though, I’ve always found perverse joy in the heat, there’s just something about it that makes me feel a closeness to the land.

Maw in her garden patch.

August is also the month when my favorite wildflower is in bloom. I know many will think I’m a might touched, but my favorite is Joe-Pye Weed. There’s just something about it that appeals to me. It is very hardy and will grow in a variety of habitats. As Dolly Parton says in a song she wrote years ago named “Wildflowers”…wildflowers don’t care where they grow. I guess I have a soft spot for the oft-neglected segments of our life. I wonder how such a regal looking plant, which is an object of desire for most nectar-loving insects, got the bland name of Joe-Pye Weed? Who was Joe Pye and why is there a plant named for him?

Joe Pye Weed, my favorite wildflower.

August is also the time of year when school children all across the land start to see that most dreaded of end signs popping up in stores...the back-to-school sale! Oh, how I hated to see those. I don’t know about you but I know just how a condemned man must feel as he watches his gallows be built, because I used to feel the same way! You know it’s coming so you try to cram every little bit of excitement into every moment you have left. It won’t be long before we see the bright yellow prison car snaking its way through our hills and hollers. No matter what your age, August should be a wake up call for you to make the most of what is left of summer.

August in Burns Holler.

So my challenge to all of the readers of this blog, take a moment to reflect on the bounties of the month of August and take a moment to count your blessings. Soon, summertime will be but a faded memory and the cold winter months will be meeting us face-to-face.

In the meantime, I will appreciatively swelter in the oppressive heat and live off the fat of the land. I sure do love August.