I would guess in other states people feel the same, but definitely here in Michigan, we tend to think of summer as ending on the Labor Day holiday in early September. Officially, summer does not end, and fall begin, until about two-thirds of the way through September (autumnal equinox). The weather, however, and the seasons do not care about man designated anything.  It simply is what it is, whenever it is. For the next four pages, I have decided to stick with the official human designated times, rather than group pictures together based on weather similarities. One thing it will show us is the diversity within those seasonal dates, and how little we have to say (that would be nothing) about what the real weather seasons are like. 

Quoted text below is courtesy of http://hotword.dictionary.com/equinox-solstice/

"The vernal equinox happens around March 21, when the sun moves north across the celestial equator. The autumnal equinox occurs around September 22nd or 23rd, when the sun crosses the celestial equator going south. The word 'equinox' comes from Latin and means 'equality of night and day.' Contrary to popular belief, the equinox does not last for 24 hours. It occurs at two specific moments in time when the sun is exactly above the equator. If you want to be truly egalitarian, opt for saying March equinox and September equinox. These terms avoid the Northern Hemisphere bias that March is spring and September is autumn. The equinox is often confused with the solstice, which is either of the two times a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator. The solstice occurs around June 21 and December 22. Solstice derives from the Latin solstitium, which literally means 'the standing still of the sun.'" 

Late September, when autumn officially begins in the Northern Hemisphere, things often still look and feel pretty much like summer. Here in Grand Ledge you will typically see some color show up along the river first. You might notice plants turning, and going to seed, but the trails are usually very green yet, in spite of an increasing number of brown or gold leaves starting to float down the creeks. You could see some bushes or scrub trees putting on fall color earlier than most. 

As the calendar turns a page into October, Fitzgerald enters its big month of change.  [page not finished]

OK - here is the situation. For several years this, and the remainder of the Fitzgerald Park pages, sat unfinished waiting for me to review and select photos for them. They have had a similar image and message to the below one on them for quite a lengthy time period. With over 32,000 pictures in my inventory that I have taken at Fitzgerald Park, it is going to be a lot longer before I can make time for these pages if I do not find some volunteer help with selecting the best images for the categories. As long as I can get the files to you, it is an activity which can be done in the convenience of your home should you wish. If you, or anyone you know, have the time to help with this, and would like to participate in the process, please contact me. The feedback/contact page always has the most current information on how to reach me. Anyone assisting with this will be acknowledged on the page they helped with (if so desired).