The weather was lovely high summer this morning as I walked from the car into church.
However — as is usual when I have to park more than a half-block or so away, I was confronted by this reminder of the coming storm.
I kind of hate Minnesota fire hydrants in the summer.
Memento mori…
no, not quite…
Memento ninguat, they seem to whisper as I pass.
Are you from warmer climes? Do you know what that funny spring-like protrusion is, bolted to the upper flange of the hydrant, on the left?
I'll tell you. Round about mid-October, someone from the city will come by and they will insert into that springy thing a "hydrant marker," which is a tall, red-and-white striped, flexible pole. I grabbed this photo of a Minnesota hydrant from pinterest here:
And you know what that's for, right?
So we can find the darn things come November or December when the first sparkly flakes come wafting down, followed by a few trillion of their closest friends.
I wish they could make the springy holder thing blend into the background a little better. I don't want to think about the impending doom, not now while the sun is shining and I have my sandals on.

