Is August here yet?

I find myself quite pleased that August is almost here.  Why?  Well I think it has to do with the end of summer being in sight.  Honestly,  in August we see some of our hottest temperatures so I am not so sure why I am looking forward to it.  But I will say that I have sensed a small shift in the air.  Instead of a building up, things are relaxing and drawing down.  The peaches are done.  Those left on the tree are soft, having started converting their sugar to starch or just goo.   The morning air has a hint, a whiff of something different at the edges.  It's not always there but I have smelled it of late.   For me, it's the coming shift in seasons.  And I have to hope, the coming rains.  Being in a place that often doesn't get the rain it "should" makes you much more in touch with nature.  The wind, the sunlight, the turning of the seasons.  And when something is missed like the rain for us or snow for other people and places, it leaves a big hole that nothing can fill.  Not movies, the internet, food, consuming, nothing.  It's a primal absence.   And you feel a sense of being left behind, bereft of the pleasure of the rains which you look forward to all year.  Now not all people feel this way, obviously.  But those of us who know that rain = life for plants and animals all around us, it is important.  And although we are not running out of water due to the cyclic nature of the earth's water cycle, we are running into more problems with availability of fresh water and unpolluted water.  (And on a completely random tangent, has anyone else seen the parallels between the dwarves digging ever deeper into the earth for treasure in LOTR and our current debates over fracking?  I mean if anything is going to awaken a deep dark force fracking might just do it.) End of random.  Or is it? No, for me it will never be the end of random I'm afraid.  

Ok onto photos:

First photos is how much I love looking out my window and seeing GREEN where I used to see dead golden grass.

Next is just the southwest filling up with trees.

This photo which is kind of embarrassing due to my ugly Hobbit feet (wow I really have that book on my mind!) is to show where once was dirt and star thistle has now become soft indomitable Bermuda grass.  

And the last photo is to show how the African Sumac has really JUMPED in growth and formed the hedge I wanted on the west along the brick walkway.  Plants do surprise you btw.