Dan Antion

Summer’s Last Stand

We are fast approaching Labor Day in the US. That marks the end of summer in many ways. Students return to the classroom. School buses return to the highways. We go back to only being able to wear jeans on Fridays, and maybe I’ll start writing something on Mondays. For now, let’s stick with some pictures.

I hope you all have a wonderful week.

My favorite bridge. The stone arch bridge over the Farmington River in Windsor, CT. The river is very low.
I was ready to leave, when I heard AMTRAK heading south.
The tracks turn into Windsor’s train station after crossing the river.
The heron is coming in for a landing.
“You’re getting to be a big girl.”
“Hang on mom, there’s some bugs here.”
The ducks are getting out, the heron is heading in. Breakfast time at the river.
Everyone is scanning the river for food this morning.
Heron basking in the reflected sunlight.
Peter Nena has many more interests than power lines, but I always think of him when I see these.
I love seeing these guys in the morning.
This patch almost makes it worth coming to work. Almost.
We’ve switched to using Maddie’s cot on her deck, She settles in for a quieter nap.
“I guess it’s time to get up.”

88 comments

  2. Beautiful photos, Dan. You’ve really captured the end of summer! I particularly loved the photo of Amtrak crossing the arch bridge. Old and new! All the best to you!

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  3. I love the black-eyed susans, Dan…one of my favorites.

    I’m holding onto the last of summer as tightly as possible, but also hoping for a beautiful fall with red leaves and warmish temps. Happy Monday, Dan!

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    • Thanks Mary. Fall is my favorite season, even though I know what it leads to. It’s just the best time of year. I’m a little worried about the fall colors, given the heat and dry conditions we had this year. I do like that bed of black-eyed susans – that’s right in front of our building.

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  4. Say it isn’t so! Then we need to get a lot of ‘summer’ in our last two weeks. Sigh. This happens every year! hee hee hee I love stone bridges, they make me think of Trolls.

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  5. They’ve already started school here and at #1 Grandson’s school a week ago! Summer is shorter for kids, or it feels that way.

    I love those sunrises and the power poles, the tower, and your coneflowers. Maddie sure looks comfy there on her cot and not bothered by the heat and humidity.

    I love fall, but am not in a hurry to have it come in. I love long hours of daylight.

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    • Thanks Deborah. The fact that I’m seeing that sunrise behind those power poles means that the days are getting shorter. It’s a side benefit, but a reliable message :(

      A lot of districts started school this week. It seems too early for me. Kids should be able to enjoy summer, but I guess times have changed on that, too.

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    • I think we have a lot of summer left, Ally, but the summery things we all enjoy are winding down. I guess it happens every year, but it seems to be happening earlier, at least the school buses.

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  10. Love that stone arch bridge! All the shots with the heron and the ducks and reflections from the sun are stunning. I have always loved Black-eyed Susans !

    Maddie looks so comfy on her cot, secure in the knowledge that she rates her own personal deck!! In fact, when it’s complete, you should hang a sign,
    “🐾 Maddie’s Deck 🐾”. Just sayin’!!

    Poor MiMi, she doesn’t realize that those dark days of winter are swiftly approaching when she’ll want to sleep more but won’t be able to because dad will be home full time with that darn camera!! 😜😜
    🐾Ginger 🐾

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    • Thanks Ginger. I love that stone arch bridge. And, since the best place to park to see it is the hot dog stand that I like, it’s an easy stop to make.

      We used the cot one day when the deck was still soaked from an overnight thunderstorm. Maddie loves it. When we were using the cushion, she would flip and flop. The cot cradles her and she just settles in and nods off. I’ll think about the sign, but ownership has been clearly established ;-)

      The biggest thing that MiMi doesn’t realize is that her blanket is on the couch in the basement family room – which is not heated overnight.

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  12. I was at the township office on Friday – not a place I visit too often, so this was the first time I spotted the pretty flowerbeds out front – someone there has a green thumb and has hopes to enhance an otherwise drab entryway. I wondered, too, if it made their life a bit easier as they approached the work week.

    Have a good one, Dan.

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  14. That stone bridge is beautiful Dan. Perfect timing to catch a train on it too.
    Yes summer has that tired bloated feel to it that usually signals it’s winding down. It was a good one though and gonna enjoy it to the very end.

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    • Thanks Norm. I love that bridge. This summer wore out its welcome in July, but I’m not kicking it to the curb. I do look forward to cooler temps. We’re back with 110f heat index this week. It’s time for that to be done.

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  17. This year is passing much too fast, Dan. I feel like I’m clawing to hand onto every day. The gallery is particularly beautiful today! I love every image. How cool to see the old fashioned bridge, and then see it with the “new fangled” train. Have a marvelous Monday. Hugs.

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  19. Beautiful shots, Dan. I don’t think that summer means the same thing when you’re not in school. But I think we all still feel a bit of what students feel, both at the beginning and at the end. Congratulations on your almost retirement! Soon you can wear jeans/shorts whenever you like. :-)

    janet

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    • Ha ha – thanks Janet. Unless the Editor starts enforcing a dress code. I’m actually not going to be in the office that many more days., so I won’t be bothered by “Business Casual” too much longer.

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  23. Beautiful gallery, Dan! Thank you! Can you honestly believe we are staring at Labor Day already? We had a late start (VERY!) this year for Summer to begin and now birds are flocking, nights are getting chilly, yellow haze is everywhere, …… what happened? Yes I love Fall BUT! We all know what comes after and gosh darn it, I’m not ready for grey and cold. I just gotta find time to get out with my camera and still be able to wear shorts. Two more weeks of August ….. and I WILL enjoy them!

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    • Thanks Cheryl. I love seeing a train cross that bridge, and then I can turn and see it cross the next one in a few seconds. I’ve “just missed it” many times, so when I heard the whistle, I stayed put. Those flowers do help, but there’s a horrible day coming. One day, the landscaping service will rip everything out. Some years, they replace it all with mums. Some years, they just leave the dirt.

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  29. Wonderful images Dan. I won’t emphasize too much that we’ll still have summer weather into the fall. I like the cooler fall weather. We’ll still have the threat of hurricanes although we’ve been spared so far. July was the hottest month on record in Florida so I’ll welcome come cool days – not cold like you’ll have though. :-)

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    • Thanks Ron. We still have some summer heat to endure, but the hope of cooler days is wonderful to think about. We also had the hottest July on record, and it was miserable. I’ve done outside home improvement work in the winter. I have gloves and vests and all sorts of winter work gear, but I couldn’t work on my garage in July – there’s only so much you can take off.

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    • As a teacher, I can understand why that day would come with dread. It didn’t used to matter much, but about five years ago that we started switching to jeans for the summer at work. It isn’t so much the jeans, it’s the comfortable shoes I can wear with them that I miss when we return to ‘business casual’ in September.

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  33. When I was a kid, Labor Day certainly was considered the last of summer. I was excepted at school the next day with my ream of paper, PE folders, bounded notebook, pens, and pencils. It was also the last day the swimming pool at the park was open.

    Nowadays, there’s already been 3 weeks of school and almost every swimming pool is indoors.

    Am I sad about it? No, not at all. Life is a constant journey of changes, which makes life interesting.

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