!4-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 18, 2003 B On Being a Farm Wife (and other hazard Joyce Bupp You could call it Transition Time. But, Indian Summer sounds so much more poetic. Regardless of what you call these fleeting weeks of mid-Octo ber, they whiz by with frightening speed. And, like the noisy finale of a fireworks display, Indian summer bursts with bright explo sions of color, which quickly fade and float silently back to earth. “Swamp” maples that grow wild in the meadow are firing up their displays of brilliant crim son-orange. Collectively, at least, that’s what color they appear to be. Studied individually, though, the leaves are as distinct in ap pearance as single people in a crowd of thousands. Each leaf, smaller than some species but with the distinctive maple-leaf shape, may have splotches of green and spotches of red. Color ation may follow the veining. Or maybe not. Shaded variations of the leaves colorings abound in an array of patterns, each one unique as individual snowflakes Kicking along through these colorful leaf fallouts has al ways been distracting. Their delicate beauty begs to be scooped up NOTICE: FARM OWNERS Goodville Mutual is One of the Top 5 Farm Insurance Companies in Pennsylvania. WANT TO KNOW WHY? \ Liz Martin Martin Insurance Agency 459 C N George St. Millersville, PA 17551 (717) 872-7756 Toll Free 1-877-791-5235 www martminsurance com Affordable insurance for farm, home,vehicle, and small business by the handfuls, to study the in dividual patterns and intricate lacings of color. Every year, I promise myself to try to fashion their loveliness into something to preserve them with more perma nence a bookmarker, placement, or notecards. I’ve even gotten so far as to press them between pages of a catalog. Where they inevitably get.lost, forgotten and dried up. Oh well, it’s a good thought, anyway. Other species are equally pret ty, like the demure maroon dog woods, their subtleness accented with flame-red, berry-like seeds. Norway maples, on the other hand, are stunning show stoppers with their giant spreading cano pies of golden yellow, glowing GOT WOOD? WE HAVE THE FURHACEI • All stainless steel construction • Lses present central duct or Hydronic system • Heats home/household J hot water . I • Shaker Grates I Hardy has been heating homes WILLIAMSON ENTERPRISES 601/656-2639 *lO Year 877/606-3113 Warranty CAP $3.50* Each Available At Lancaster Farming, 1 East Main St., Ephrata, PA PLUS Shipping & Handling $2.50 Add’t Cap and Shipping @ $4.00 Each Phone 717-626-1164 against a clear blue sky. But brilliant Indian summer color is not selectively granted to the most desirable plant species. Vining Virginia creeper, at tractive in a confined spot, in stead runs rampant, wild, and uncontained. It tracks long fin gers of cheery red up the sides of old bams and weaves through fences. Competing for attention in colorful brilliance are inde structible stands of sumac. Tawny, fluffy heads of golden rod wave in the breeze from abandoned meadows and weedy roadside patches. Plus, in, around and through any or all of the above is likely poking cling ing vines bearing bright yellow “leaves of three, let them be” poi son ivy. It’s always seemed a little cockeyed to me that these most pesty weeds turn some of the CALL THE SPOUTING SPECIALISTS For • 5", 6" & 7" Seamless Gutters in 32 Colors • Half Round Gutters • Windows & Doors • Tubular Skylights r L. OPOtTTTZVC? 9 Call Today For A Free Estimate 265 E. Meadow Valley Rd., Lititz, PA 17543 SB 717-733-7160 - 1-800-247-2107 - 717-627-6886 M! gjT* ““ Financing Available Fall Thurs Fri., Sat., *loo* Progressive Shoe Store 25 N. Belmont Rd. Paradise, PA 17562 717-768-7866 Bring in this ad to register for a free $5O gift certificate most beautiful stunning fall col ors? Is that some sort of in-your face statement by Mother Na ture? Thick, early morning fog fre quently hangs over the meadow on our Indian summer days, cloaking the sun in a nebulous mystic aura as it tries to bum off the mist. Often, it is mid-to-late morning before the fog dissipates. Other days, a vague haziness veils the colors of our world even through the afternoon. Indian sumer frill moons rise up looking like the proverbial round orange cheese, inching their way above the eastern hori zon. The warm afternoon tem peratures drop in the other direc tion as fast as the moon climbs heavenward. Its orange gives way to bright white, a spotlight in the night sky sparkling with rhine stone stars. Celebration Sale! October 23 Bam-Bpm, October 24 Bam-Bpm, October 25 Sam-12pm These nights, even more beau tiful than most, beckon Derra Dog and I to walk a little extra distance. A large flock of geese, spending recent nights on the ridge fields, honk and chatter in the darkness. Moonlight reflects in ripples across the ponds, and a great blue heron flaps off in a huff as we get too near its roost ing tree near the frog pond. As Derra “woofs” and trots up the hill, deer silhouettes bound over the top of the hill. All too soon, this pleasant in terlude will end. Leaf explosions will disappear into the woodland floors and the geese will move on. Previews we had earlier of cold nights and frosty mornings will become the norm. And the gold en glow of Indian summer will fade to somber browns. Let’s savor ever moment of it we. can. Turn Your Gutters Into Virtually SELF CLEANING GUTTERS Gutter Pro Tech • .027 Aluminum - Never Rusts • 20 Yr. Limited Warranty • 32 Colors Available • Affordable Be sure to check our Bargain aisle and Specials Thursday and Friday eve. free hot dog and drink with every $5O purchased Saturday morning free refreshments With
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