Summer Is Over and Gone

The crickets sang in the grasses. They sang the song of summer's ending, a sad, monotonous song. "Summer is over and gone," they sang. "Over and gone, over and gone. Summer is dying, dying."

The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year--the days when summer is changing into fall--the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change.

Everybody heard the song of the crickets. Avery and Fern Arable heard it as they walked the dusty road. They knew that school would soon begin again. The young geese heard it and knew that they would never be little goslings again. Charlotte heard it and knew that she hadn't much time left. Mrs. Zuckerman, at work in the kitchen, heard the crickets, and a sadness came over her, too. "Another summer gone," she sighed. Lurvy, at work building a crate for Wilbur, heard the song and knew it was time to dig potatoes.

"Summer is over and gone," repeated the crickets. "How many nights till frost?" sang the crickets. "Good-bye, summer, good-bye, good-bye!"

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

Some would say that is the saddest chapter in Charlotte's web. I don't. Summer is over, September is here and next month is October. Now we head into crisp autumn days scuffing through fallen leaves, and the joyful sounds of dogs gearing up for fall training. Happy happy Autumn. Thus begins my most favorite season.... the running season, which hopefully will last into May.

Many years ago a friend introduced me to a very pretty song by Van Morrison. As I hang up the freshly washed harnesses, one eye on the thermometer I cannot help but remember these lyrics.



"I saw you standing with the wind and the rain in your face
And you were thinking 'bout the wisdom of the leaves and their grace
When the leaves come falling down
In September when the leaves, come falling down"