It might sound a bit premature to some, but for an old man like me who has observed the change of seasons for well more than 60 found many in the past week. These are not just a change in temps or things like that...they are age-old signs that Native Americans taught my grandfathers and they in-turn taught me as a young boy. And yes, they are most accurate for the long term.
Early last week, I was somewhat shocked to see the leaves flipped. Some of you have heard me talk about the flipping of leaves but it is one of the early signs that fall is just around the corner. There were a stand of sycamore trees that all had leaves flipped. Flipping of leaves is when the bottom of the leaf is on top and facing upwards and not in their traditional downward position. When I see leaves flipped like that big weather changes are not far away. This strong cold front that is hitting tonight was a taste of that this morning as recorded gust of over 50 MPH were the result of thunderstorms in Oklahoma last night that sent that burst of cool refreshing air blowing over the porch early this morning as I sipped my first cup of morning coffee. It has not been in the 70s and 80s for a full morning and part of the afternoon since June 19th. And while we have had 17 days of 100 degrees plus this month, the 100s will return next week as the first two weeks of August are considered the most hot of the season.
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| A couple of Mary Kay Seminar Participants ride one of the new electric scooter rentals. |
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| The Statler Hotel Gets A Second Life. This hotel was famous for Sinatra and his crew that stayed here and played here any time that he was in Dallas. The grand old hotel lives once more, but like all things--it now has a combo of apartments, hotel rooms and offices, too. |
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| This is the dream of Ross Perot as the family foundation donated millions to get it built in down town. It is the Perot Museuam of Nature and Science. For our Ohio readers, it's every bit as good as COSI. It truely is a hands on learning museum. The blue glass is the escalator! Fun! Plants and native grasses grow on the roofs. |
With cool and comfortable temps and sprinkles falling, I took a walk through the compound today for the first time in many years. A tulip tree had already changed to some solid yellows and dropped a lot of those leaves onto the grass, sidewalk and parking lot. It is yet, another sign, that big changes are coming sooner than we think. In reality, it's been hot since early May, or a month early. Spring came early, too. It was popping out swelled buds and new tender grown in February this year. So, while most will be looking for fall in this part of the country around October to November, they will be a bit surprised when September will spring a little surprise on them. Nature always has a way of balancing things out in the end. I have a strong feeling that this year will not be any different for her.
