August began in western Massachusetts this morning at 3:18 AM. That’s when Canada, after holding its breath all July, exhaled, banging the canvas awning next to our bed on the second floor screened-in porch. Whitecaps rattled the lake. Branches brushed their neighbors. Something vinyl blew off our shore.

This morning I opened the third drawer in my dresser for the first time and put on a sweatshirt. We’ll have to dangle our feet off the dock to get used to the newly chilled water and before the swim is over it will be time to take our children shopping for their new notebooks and bookcovers. My son senses this. He has formed the blankets around himself to trap the warmth as he reads in bed.

Categories: Uncategorized dw