Despite the continuing heat, the recent “cool” front did knock us down to normal summer temperatures, a plummet of ten degrees or more that feels like a sign of seasonal change even though it’s still fracking hot.  But at least now it’s normal summer hot rather than “Oh my gawd!  I’m in hell and I’m dying!” hot.

Short-lived though it might end up being, the sudden change in the weather brought with it a feeling of autumnal inevitability, a hint of what’s to come.

One autumnal constant is the abundance of odonates (damselflies and dragonflies).  So in honor of this most welcome “cool” spell, I thought it would be nice to celebrate with some odes to autumn.  Or, rather, some odes of autumn.

Eastern pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis); male

Eastern amberwing (Perithemis tenera); male

Neon skimmer (Libellula croceipennis); male

Common whitetail (Plathemis lydia); female

Common whitetail (Plathemis lydia); male

Common whitetail (Plathemis lydia); juvenile male

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It’s amazing what a dramatic relief it is when the daily high temperatures drop ten degrees or more and land in the 95°-98° F/35°-37° C range.  Heck, our overnight lows never fell to within three degrees of 80° F/27° C, so even early mornings felt like being in an oven.  This summer has sucked with early and long-lived excessive heat.  I never thought I’d say this, but right now our normal summer temperatures feel cool and comfortable.