The air was oppressive this morning, hot and with high humidity. At the farmers market, in direct sun on a paved space, we were uncomfortable. There was a breeze now and then when we ran, and it was far from the hottest day of running this year. Still, you'd have to call it hot.
I noticed though, that there are many leaves down already. They showed most on the bike trails just in from Oregon Avenue. But along the road going up to Carter Barron, I saw plenty in the gutter. Yet trees appear to be in full summer leaf. One birch did seem have some yellow leaves, but was that the beginning of autumn, or distress from the drought?
There was one unmistakable sign of autumn, a cultural one: children's soccer on the playing fields at Carter Barron. At noon, or whenever I passed by, I don't think that there was anyone older than seven in shin guards, and most may have been about six.
I am reminded of when my eldest was three and playing Rainbow Soccer in Chapel Hill--he upset the coach by running around the field, holding hands with the coach's two children, all three of them staring up at the clouds.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of children that age playing anything like an organized sport until the day care program of a church at the end of our street started a soccer program for them. I don't know what they learn: I am too distracted by the sight of children running up to a ball that is knee high to most of them to observe anything else.
Delete