I've used my nine years of blogging to track when I hear the first crickets chirping each year.
The chirp of the crickets is the first sign of fall coming, and it
always makes me a little sad. I like to think summer is endless. What a
fantasy (here in upstate New York.)
This year, I heard crickets, for the first time, on July 30.
Here are some cricket milestones of the past:
July 29, 2009
July 22, 2010
July 30, 2011
then, there were two dates in 2012, perhaps due to an early spring
May 21, 2012
July 25, 2012
August 3, 2014
July 28, 2015
July 24, 2016
Something strange happened in July of 2010, but they were here for good by July 22.
That's one reason why I like to blog - the blog becomes a
kind of garden journal. I'm no good at diaries or journals, but
blogging is something I do keep up with. At least for now. I may have to be abandoning my daily schedule in the near future, but I will leave that for a future post.
So, what does this pattern of dates mean? Not much, perhaps. There are other markers of changing climate, such as the trees turning color later and later each year. Also, the fall color show seems to be getting worse and worse.
But for now, I know the end of summer is approaching. It isn't here yet. But it will be. Nature has reminded us that nothing is permanent.
And, with crickets (hopefully not the sound echoing through an empty blog) I end another July (day 31) Ultimate Blog Challenge #blogboost.
Crickets....
ReplyDeleteJust curious as to what happened in 2017? Did the crickets have an off year?
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the days are pretty close with no forward or backward trend. That's good, right? Things are pretty stable? For now, anyway.
ReplyDeleteAny sign of impending Fall makes me feel sad. I'm never done with summer. I think I may need to move south.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting to use your blog to record the approach of fall by noting the first chirp of crickets. It's made me more aware of their part in the season's cycle. In another example, for a couple years now, I've noticed the first hummingbird scouts always arrives on the first day of March and I know to get the feeders cleaned, filled, and hung.
ReplyDeleteOur summer here has been hot so a little fall would be nice. We don't get much of the colors here in LA.
ReplyDelete