All signs point to nearly an inch of rain falling in the village tomorrow, after which September should finally begin to dry out. By the end of the month, we will have received nearly twice our normal rainfall. The swollen rivers and creeks already give sufficient evidence of how wet the month has been.

For the remainder of September, expect mostly cloudy days with clearer nights. Temperatures will fall sharply over the weekend, with the village likely dropping below freezing and inland locations possibly reaching the middle 20s. Those who still have apples upon the trees or vegetables in the garden would be wise to attend to them soon.

Before turning to local happenings, I must again apologize for the intermittent service from WGMW. Despite the best efforts of Mr. Erickson and myself, the transmitter continues to resist our attempts to persuade it into dependable behavior. We have tried patience, careful adjustment, and, on occasion, methods approaching persuasion by hammer. So far, the transmitter remains unconvinced.

The happier talk of the village this week has been the marriage of Alma Backlund, of Rosebush, to Erland Cavelin, of Two Harbors. The bride carried a bouquet of autumn flowers and brilliant red maple leaves, well suited to the remarkable colors now appearing along the ridges.

The eighth-grade class will also hold a rummage sale at the Cook County Fair on September 29 and 30 and October 1.

Far less cheerful news comes from Florida, where a hurricane has brought terrible destruction. Reports place the dead at approximately 1,500, with some 38,000 people left homeless. Winds reached 120 miles per hour as the storm crossed the Everglades. Water filled streets in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, businesses were damaged throughout the affected area, and many residents have been left without drinking water. Food is scarce, while telephone and electric service remain out of commission.

Thomas Hardy once listened to a thrush singing against a bleak winter landscape and wondered whether it knew of “some blessed Hope, whereof he knew / And I was unaware.”

I confess to something of the same feeling this week. The maples along our ridges are as brilliant as I have seen them. Alma Backlund carried autumn flowers at her wedding. Yet the news brings accounts of flooded towns, ruined homes, and terrible loss. Perhaps the colors know something I do not.

Editor's note: Recent photo of fall color near Lutsen, Minnesota.