Crickets...

'When the cricket’s song is the only sound you hear, how peaceful the whole earth seems.'

Marty Rubin

According to the calendar, the autumnal equinox officially arounds September 22nd.  According to the meteorological calendar however, Autumn began on September 1st.  I love the visual changes of season changes, especially the brilliant colors of October and November.  Here in the North East however, the autumnal changes go beyond just what we see.

We also certainly feel the fall, with the coolness in the air.  The chilly feel usually begins on August nights, but quickly seeps quietly, but noticeably into the evenings and then days.  We also notice the smells, things seem fresher  in the fall, and where I live, things also taste better in the late summer and early fall.  There is nothing like the taste of fresh corn and crisp apples just off off the tree.   No matter how many potatoes you may eat in a year, those new potatoes in the fall are the most delicious of all.

In the East, and especially in the country, the fall also arrives with sound.  Those tractors are working overtime, attempting to get every crop up and out to bought at farm markets and grocery stores.  Then planning, and preparing the fields for winter takes over.  I know winter is on the way when I see the coverings go up, and many crops, especially grapes, are protected, as much as possible, for the ravages of winter. 

The loudest sound however, starting in mid-August, is the chirp from the crickets.  It seems as each day goes by, they let louder and louder.  Like all insects, crickets need to prepare for winter, and part of that ritual is the changing of those cheerful chips, turning louder, and maybe even a wee more frantic. 

It's not hard to understand why. Like most insects, birds and mammals, their sounds are all about reproduction.  As winter gets closer, it makes sense that the mating call gets louder.  Crickets know there's only a short amount of times to reproduce and lay their eggs before the ground freezes and the snow starts to fall. 

We humans also like to snuggle in for the winter. Often that mean finding a mate, if not for life, just for the season.  It helps to have someone to snuggle with, and someone to have hot sex with, when the temperature dips, and there are fewer activities to do outside.  Although we may not get louder auditorily, we certainly feel the same pressure as the crickets, to get things settled and nailed down before the frost sets in.  If not.. we might be chirping with ourselves until next spring.