August, the eighth month of the year, is a time of transition. This month is appropriately named after the first Roman emperor, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus, who guided Rome from a republic to an empire.

As Augustus changed the lives of Roman citizens, so, too, will the lives of moms, dads and students, with the return to school for youngsters across the Lehigh Valley.

This is the month recent high school graduates prepare for the transition from living at home to living in dorms and being “on their own.”

During the last month of summer, morning sunlight arrives later and the sun sets earlier and earlier — about two-and-a-half minutes each evening.

Summer is known as a time for taking vacations and attending various festivals at churches and Musikfest in Bethlehem, which is underway as this opinion piece is being written. With the arrival of fall, this year Sept. 22, outdoor activities begin to wind down.

Summer clothes are packed away, and fall and winter garments are aired out and put in drawers, to be worn as temperatures drop.

August is a month of cool and refreshing desserts to enjoy on hot summer days — ice cream sandwich day, creamsicle day and s’mores day, to name just a few.

Beverages begin to change from cold sodas and iced tea to hot cocoa and hot toddies.

September begins the transition with Labor Day, this year Sept. 2.

Picnics are traditional on this day, with comfort foods such as potato salad, burgers, hot dogs, fruit and veggies on the menu.

In addition, September features National Cheese Pizza Day Sept. 5 and then National Pepperoni Pizza Day Sept. 20.

Rice, potatoes, mushrooms and honey, all warm and soothing to the tummy, are celebrated in September.

As summer draws to a close and the fall season nears, farmers begin their harvest, and home gardeners gather their tomatoes and cucumbers and prepare their gardens plots for next year.

There is still plenty of time remaining in August to enjoy summer activities, shop for back-to-school supplies and plan for, hopefully, cooler temps and fall fun.

Enjoy!

Deb Palmieri

editor

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press