By Dr. Bruce Smith ——Bio and Archives--October 17, 2023
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October 16 in the Heartland
The bloom appeared just yesterday and I had to take a photo. All around were the beginnings of gold and carmine in the trees, the white pines holding firm with their evergreen needles. There in the rose bed was what has to be the last gallant effort of the horticultural year. The heavy buds opened with no bugs to bother them and stayed open all night, hoping for enough sun in the morning to attract the notice of the honeybees otherwise gleaning from the last of the calico asters. This morning they’re perfection itself, with old fashioned sweetness in their scent.
The chimney has been brushed and the coarse-checked firewood stacked by the door. Kindling is standing nearby. It’s time for a fire to bring the satisfaction of the arrival of most everyone’s favorite time of the year. It’s Autumn in the Heartland.
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Dr. Bruce Smith (Inkwell, Hearth and Plow) is a retired professor of history and a lifelong observer of politics and world events. He holds degrees from Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame. In addition to writing, he works as a caretaker and handyman. His non-fiction book The War Comes to Plum Street, about daily life in the 1930s and during World War II, may be ordered from Indiana University Press.