Summer is over, kids head back to school

Summer has been great for corn and soybean growth (occasionally, one could hear corn stalks groan as they shot skyward). It’s also been a tremendous summer for kids, moms and dads at the Kasson Aquatic Center, Byron’s pool, West Concord’s recently upgraded facility and the pool in Dodge Center. It was a great way for kids and adults claiming to be kids, to spend the summer’s hot, humid days.

Much to my surprise, KAC closed last Sunday. Really? Yep, the pool is closed for the season and kids are heading back to the classroom and everyone knows what follows the start of school.

With the start of school will come Friday night-lights — high school football, soccer and a number of other sport activities for boys and girls in Kasson-Mantorville KoMets, Byron Bears, Triton Cobras and county powerhouse Hayfield Vikings.

It’s hard to believe, but fall is in the air. There’ll be more northwest fronts moving into Minnesota from our Canadian neighbors, introducing lower humidity, lower temperatures and fewer daylight hours.

We’ll move from focusing on our hopeless Minnesota Twins to the never won a Super Bowl

Minnesota Vikings. (After watching two pre-season games, it doesn’t look good for the Vikes.)

Soon, farms around the area will crank up their combines, harvesting beans, corn and peas from the county’s fields. It’s one of the best signs of having made it through the typical summer that brings in tornadic winds, hail and heavy or no rain at all. If we do make it to harvest without any of these potentially disastrous events, we can let out a huge sigh of relief.

With the onset of the autumnal equinox, there are those who still think about heading to the area fields to hunt pheasants. Bow hunters sharpen up their skills as they plan for the coming deer hunting season.

Change will be on every maple, birch, poplar and oak tree as our wooded areas turn a plethora of color, letting let us know that change is in the air and winter’s headin’ our way.

Autumn begins next month, only 27 days from now.

RIGHT TRACK

“Even if you are on the right track, but just sit there, you will still get run over.”

Will Rogers