First Moonflower, Fiery Sunset, Boys of Fall....

There's a change coming, I can feel it. There's a shift ahead. Something's different in the air. Not sure I'm up for it. Yes I am. Noooo, I'm not! Yes, yes, yes. OK. OK.

For one thing, today my moonflower finally bloomed -- a sure signal that late summer is upon us, and fall is just around the corner. The gorgeous, snow-white flower popped out (unrolled actually) in about a 15-minute stretch while I was doing a 45-minute "strength" yoga workout on my screened porch. I kept glancing out at the moonflower vine, and sure enough, there it was -- the first, pearly white bloom!

Add to that, my niece is leaving for college on Tuesday. Barista and I ran into her last evening in a parking lot at the bistro at the bottom of our hill. . . under an unbelievable, fiery orange sky (top photo). I'm going to miss Queen J a lot when she heads to Marshall in just 2 short days, so it was only fitting that mother nature provided a heck of a setting for a serendipituous encounter with our girl.

And that was on the heels of yet another ya-ya moment -- a family picnic that kicked off the football season. Chip is a senior on the football team (after missing his entire junior season due to a torn ACL), and they've just wrapped up two weeks of "2-a-days" in this oppressive heat. (See all the senior boys above, and below being cheesy at the dinner table.) The event last night was a great splash for "The Boys of Fall" (check out that Kenny Chesney video on youtube -- be sure to have a kleenex handy). Around here football isn't just a sport, it's not just a game. It's a religion. It gets in your blood. And for the boys on the team, it's something they will live and breathe, they'll play their hearts out for this, their senior season. They'll mentor their younger "brothers." They know it's their last year together, before they head off to all sorts of different places, different colleges. But for now, it's all about their moment on the field.

And furthermore, Barista and I went up to see my parents today (Grandpa and Barista, below) -- always great to hang out with my mom and dad, as this is the year they both turn 80! A few burgers on the grill, and my green bean salad and a nice visit on a gorgeous Sunday -- that's what it's all about!

So all of this is great stuff, right? But . . . I am slightly melancholy. Lots of changes, goodbyes and final-football-seasons are on our doorstep. The whole of it could make anyone want some comfort food, right? Or maybe a stiff drink. So, here's recipe for a Minted Vodka Lemonade to ease your mind, comfort your soul. And use up some of the gangly mint in your garden:

Minted Vodka Lemonade

1 cup packed mint leaves, chopped
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups vodka

Combine mint and sugar in large bowl. Stir in lemon juice and vodka. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Strain mixture into pitcher. Fill six glasses with crushed ice. Pour vodka mixture over. Place a stem of mint and a slice of lemon in each glass. Enjoy!