My friend and I were already planning to leave town for the weekend. The SC Native Plant Symposium was being held in Clemson at the same time Hurricane Matthew was blasting the South Carolina coast. After getting the necessary travel preparations finished we loaded up my gold Trail Blazer and headed for higher ground. Even as we left the lowcountry and got “up the country” fall was evident in the yellows, reds, and gold on the sides of the road.

There’s something predictable about the burst of bloom which appears as the too intense heat and sun of midsummer start to wane. There’s so much yellow, as if the high solstice of June left shards of itself to reappear as rayed flowers to carry on its brilliant intensity into the fall.

After being out of town for two weeks I was delighted to return and find cooler mornings for the first time in many months. Yes, it is still hot as blazes during the day but the mornings are giving me hope.   I am sure this feeling is similar to what those from the far north feel like when the snow begins to melt. It's a sign, and a good one at that.