The seasonality of things (turn, turn, turn)

Purple cabbage

October Asters

A large flock of grackels taking off

When most people think of the seasons, they think of winter, spring, summer and fall.  You and I might think something more like greens, summer squash, potatoes, tomatoes and peppers.  In many parts of Africa, there are but two seasons commonly acknowledged: rainy and dry. But around here, there are a lot more signs of the seasonality of things.  There is the Turkey visitation season (last year I counted more than 40 in our local flock!) There is the season of the blue jays.  There is the spring fireworks season with the spectacular dogwood, cherry and redbud explosion of colorful blooms.  There is the passing through of the Northern Flickers and the hatching of the Swallows and Indigo Buntings.  There is the explosion of the tick population and their subsequent disappearance (a much celebrated season around here).  There is the buzzing of the Tupelo Gum when the bees find it blooming and the blue season of the Tupelo berries.  There is hunting season when those pesky deer seem to disappear.  And now: now it is the purple season.  Wild native purple asters are awakening the green forests before the forests can awe us with their own color explosion.  And the iridescent purple grackles have returned en force.  Open the door and a thunderous explosion of purple tinted wings temporarily clouds the sky.