Ahhhh! Autumn in the tidewater area.

My favorite time of year is fast approaching. Autumn in the tide water area with the gradually cooling days and nights is delightful. It is a reward for suffering through the abysmal heat and humidity of late July and all of August. I come alive as if awakening from a slumber. Even the plants seem to become energized. The Narrow leafed Zinnias in our garden have renewed themselves in the last few cooler days. The Cloudless Sulphur butterfly seems to be everywhere. I moved to Mathews county eight years ago, and one of the things that impressed me, that first year, was the pale blue color of the Autumn sky. I guess that it has to do with the angle of the sun reflected off of the bay and ocean. I had never seen a sky of that color before. The crabs are getting fatter as they prepare for winter and soon Rockfish frenzy will strike. Another month and the subtle fall colors will emerge, and the multicolored leaves will scratch their way down the road as the breeze moves them. Frost comes later to those who live near the water. Consequently flowering plants have a longer life and will continue to bloom into early November. I know that fresh Cherry Tomatoes will still be adding flavor to my salads until mid-November as well. A lot of folks look toward the cool days as a harbinger of dreaded winter, but as for me I look forward to the first day that is cool enough to demand a jacket.