Our Rural Roots

Meredith Bernard, Contributor

Hello September, the in-between month. You're right in the middle, aren't you? Between summer and fall, fireflies and bonfires, water tubes and snow tubes, ice pops and icicles. Sometimes the middle can seem like a bad place to be. But like anything, there's good when we look for it, and I'm eyes wide open for the good in you.

It may come slowly, but you'll begin to bring cooler temps, and this hot-natured, middle-aged mama is grateful. You'll also usher in the farm's beginning of harvest, bringing a welcome end to months' worth of work and more than a few days of worry. School is back in session, and even though we may miss summer's laid-back style, I appreciate the onset of routine you bring. Our county fair is always a highlight from your bag of treats, and if my kids let me take them one more year, I'll consider that the best gift of all.

Our cows will be about to pop this month, and we may even get an early start to calving season. They tend to surprise us from time to time. I'll be glad for the humidity to start seeing its way out so I can see my way outside for long walks and trail rides more comfortably. Our horses will appreciate the change in the air, too, as we get back to showing with our friends this month.

As the air crisps and the kitchen cools, I'll feel more like putting up some of the last of summer's bounty to be savored later. The smell of cobbler will serve as a sweet reminder of how good life can be.

See? The middle isn't such a bad place to be. For what it's worth, I'd say it's the best, because it's right where God put you. There's always purpose in your place, and life shouldn't be a race. Thanks for helping me see the beauty in the in-between. Hopefully, someone else will see it, too.

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-- Meredith Bernard looks for the good in what surrounds her and tends to farm, family and friends from North Carolina. Follow her on X @thisfarmwife, and visit her website https://thisfarmwife.com/…

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