The Canvas of East Texas Summer

Countryscape, Edgewood, Nature, Summer

Summer
Some say that Texas is unbearable in summer;
but I say, that one must offer some small sacrifice to the Sun Gods,
in order to bear witness to the beauty of the season.
Red and yellow and bronze and gold,
all have their place on this summer palette so bold,
that even the fiercest of Ra’s demons
could not dispel the radiance that emanates from the Artist’s brush.
As the emerald canvas fades to brown,
the days will mercifully grow shorter, and cooler,
until once again God’s festive palette bursts forth with the shades of Autumn.
Some say that Texas is unbearable in summer;
but I say, grab a glass of sweet tea
and sit in the shade of your favorite tree,
and bear witness to what may be,
the most wonderful season of the year.
Summer.

by Harold Burke, 2013

Embracing the 107F (41C) day today and triple-digit day in the fourteen days to come –not to mention triple-digit day in the past 9 days– I ponder upon a poem that my husband wrote in summer 2013.

Jul2015 Le Bateau-

The Forlorn Boat – A breezy morning by the creek, 2015

Aug2015 Pond-

A view of the pond in a steamy-hot and still August evening

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The poem was published in County Line Magazine, July/August 2013 issue, accompanied by my photograph, The Forlorn Boat

IB-SPRING13-BoatSunsetS

The Forlorn Boat – Golden Sunset, 2013

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August 2015 observation and forecast for Edgewood, Texas

August 2015 Weather Forecast

The beauty of August in East Texas.

Photographs © 2015 Ine Burke | inegaleri.com

The Crooked Creek has Dried

Edgewood, Nature, Summer

The creek that overflowed the county road in late spring has dried up.

End May 2015 Flood-0039

A blue heron fishing on the county road overflowed by the Crooked Creek in spring

Aug2015 Dry Crooked Creek--2

Dried up Crooked Creek in August

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The water outlet under the county road, which was overloaded in spring, is now exposed.

End May 2015 Flood-0059

Water crossing the county road as the outlet underneath overloaded, in spring

Aug2015 Dry Crooked Creek--4

Now the outlet is exposed

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Rippling water on the road is now replaced by yearning tree roots on the creek’s bank.

June 2015 Flood-0014

Water from the creek rippling on the road in spring

Aug2015 Dry Crooked Creek--3

Tree roots on the creek’s bank yearning for water in August

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Occasional entertainment in the sky has changed from spring rainbow shows to fleeing white herons above the hay field.

June 2015 Rainbow-

Spring shower rainbow

July 2015 Hay Mowing-0036

White herons fleeing the hay field

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The nearby Mill Creek is receding, too.

Aug2015 Mill Creek--2

Mill Creek in August

The beauty of August in East Texas.

Photographs © 2015 Ine Burke | inegaleri.com