The signs are all there. The sights and sounds are undeniable. Sitting on the porch at the crest of the evening, it became apparent that summertime, as we know it, is waning.

My rose bushes are looking a little sickly from too much heat and several nights of downpours. However, the hummingbirds are swooping in and out of the roses, making swift work of the feeders I’ve hidden there. I was hoping to fool the bees but they continue to share the sweet water with the birds.

The tomato and pepper plants are still producing but not as they once did. The cucumber plants have given up the fight, not before allowing us a good taste of the season.

A single sunflower plant, towering over 10 feet tall, has finally produced a bloom. I had my doubts that it would ever give me a flower, as I had never seen one grow this tall in our yard.

On the porch, the Blessed Virgin statue is graced with gorgeous bouquets of impatiens and begonias. These are the best flowers of the season no doubt.

A couple of hanging baskets are doing their best to maintain their beauty but they, too, are starting to show the wear and tear of Mother Nature’s wrath.

During recent wind and rainstorms, the trees have loosened their hold on some of their leaves and branches. It won’t be long before the palette of fall colors begins to appear and the woods become see-through.

As the evening sky shows off the power of an Almighty paintbrush, we sit in awe of such beauty as the sun sets on another August day. The insects are screaming out their sing-song calls before going silent for the night.

A lone hawk takes a final swoop across the field in search of an evening snack. The neighbor’s rooster has gone silent as the night falls.

In the quiet of this time, we can hear the bells of the church in West Liberty. Soon we expect to hear the sounds of a marching band at practice. School buses will share our roads once again.

The public swimming pools are minus enough lifeguards and swimmers to remain open other than weekends until Labor Day. Too bad; September often gives us some pretty hot days suitable for a dip in the water.

Halloween candy and fall decor are everywhere in the stores. I will admit to pulling an autumn wreath out of the basement for the front door this week. After all, the summer decorations have faded from so many sunny, hot days.

We complained about the heat, humidity and storms of this summer season. Even so, we are sad when it morphs, often quickly, into sweater weather.

For now, I know summer is still with us. It won’t be over until the Fulton Dairy Queen closes for the season. Until then, a Blizzard sounds good.

Heather Ziegler can be reached at hziegler@theintelligencer.net.