“You have set all the borders of the earth; You have made summer and winter.”  Psalm 74:17

The scent of basil drifts through the open window.  Fresh-clipped sprigs of it line the basket on the table on my deck.  Thyme and sage are drying in the kitchen, their scents greeting me when I walk into the room.  I love the herbal potpourri that fills my home when it’s time close up my garden for the season.  And despite the warm weather (it’s 95 degrees this afternoon!), summer in Upstate New York is coming to end.

I’ve spent the day snipping and rinsing, spreading and binding.  Birdsong has filled the air, the chickadees, goldfinch, nuthatches and sparrows flitting from feeder to feeder.  Butterflies still dance in the butterfly garden.  Most of the flowers have died, but a few yellow daisies are holding onto life, giving the butterflies a few drops of sweet pollen.  Chipmunks scurry from tree to tree, filling their cheeks before scampering into their holes.  It seems that each creature – from me, the human, right down to Mr. Chipmunk, the critter – is taking advantage of these last warm days of summer and preparing for the long, cold winter ahead.

“You have set all the borders of the earth…”  Every detail of this amazing planet – the boundaries of the oceans, the direction of the wind, the rain that falls, the seeds that die beneath the soil to push up into the sunlight in new life – each part of this Earth has been set in place by God.  The seasons are no exception.  Spring bursts forth with newness, summer shines with warmth and growth, autumn calls for the harvest, and winter pours down the snow (where I live, anyway), blanketing the earth for rest.  Each one has a part to play in God’s creation.  It’s God’s design working in perfection.

As the sun sets, a chill fills the air.  The 95-degree day ends with a warning that the sweaters will soon be needed.  A week or two, and our nights will be frosty, shriveling what’s left of the garden, bowing the flowers and putting them to rest.  By then, my herbs and vegetables will be harvested, stored up for the coming winter.  Until then, I will enjoy these last days of summer with the hot sun, herbal fragrance, bird song, and colorful butterflies.  I will cherish the blessings that only summer can bring and praise the Lord God for setting it all in motion.