Nothing can compare

 to the sweetness of October, according to a favorite song by the fabulous Kitty Donohoe. And it is absolutely true that few things stir the spirit more than October light in the temperate regions of North America. Here it is shining in the trees at a Toledo Metropark.

The Meadow Trail, Swan Creek Metropark, Toledo, Ohio

Reflections on water are also a favorite sight

River Trail at East Muskingum Park, Marietta, Ohio

as is light on human-created objects. 

Putnam Street Bridge, Marietta, Ohio

And sometimes, October just goes crazy.

Toledo Botanical Garden

But for me the sweetness of October is always a little bittersweet. Those beautiful colors and that magical light will not last, and here in Ohio, we can generally expect some extended periods of gray skies. Since my spouse has occasionally accused me of photosynthesizing, gray skies are not my favorite thing. And the life that has kept us company these last months will be less. The hummingbirds and monarchs have migrated, most of the flowers have quit blooming, and a number of insects are nearing the end of their lives. Today, despite the dampness and chill, two bumblebees were very slowly working a patch of wingstem, gathering late pollen to take back to the nest. If they live long enough, they will use the pollen to make the honey that feeds the queen, the only member of their colony who will survive the year.

Do they know that they are nearing the end? Insect cognition is not in my area of expertise. Whatever the state of whatever mind bumblebees may have, they keep going until the frost finishes them off or they die of old age. To go out doing what one does is not necessarily a bad thing.

October is sweet, and it is fleeting, and its golden light is only temporary. Enjoy this fine time while it lasts.