Although Northfield, Minnesota’s predictions for the first day of fall are in the low 90s, with a heat index hovering around 100 degrees, cool days are very close, bracketing this anomalous scorcher.

At our house, these are the weeks of retrieving quilting and knitting projects, cutting back the dry foliage, contending with fallen black walnuts, and, yes, raking the leaves. All cherished seasonal pleasures, even the black walnuts.

Hoping you are feeling a new and pleasant balance as the nights shift into high gear while the temperatures begin to sink.