50+ Lifestyles

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

By Eloise Graham

The Sounds of October

We often think of October as being a quiet month…

Each season seems to have its very own distinct sound. The crunching snow, snow blowers clearing the driveways, shovels scrapping sidewalks and steps, city and county plows clearing the roadways.

Starting in March through April and May, the birds begin singing early in the morning, often causing quite a racket. Weekend races and 5Ks are happening all around. Seasonal parades are heard throughout the Quad Cities. The Fourth of July, Modern Woodman Ballpark, Tugfest and many other activities end with fireworks. Some form of jazz or other music is heard just about every weekend. If you live anywhere near Mississippi Fair Grounds, every Friday night you can hear the WHirrr, whirrr, whirRR of the racecars. Almost everyday, someone somewhere is mowing their lawn or trimming a hedge or bush. August is often aroar with locusts and cicadas, sometimes almost to a deafening pitch. August and September bring back the sounds of school children at bus stops and the busses changing gears as they stop and start. November brings us the Festival of Trees Parade with all of its sounds and hoopla. December brings caroling and the ringing of the Salvation Army bells.

And October… well… just sit back and listen.

The nights are cool, but still nice enough to be outdoors in the evening sitting around a backyard fire. Hear the crackle and sputter as the wood burns?
On any given weekday afternoon, if you listen closely, you can hear a high school marching band practice. Just the faint sounds of music with the marching beat of the drum. Or maybe you hear the scrape, scrape, scrape of rake tines on a driveway clearing the leaves. Or do you hear the crunch, pop of fallen acorns being run over in your neighbors dive? Listen closely and you can hear ughs, clacks and thuds accompanied by the coaches’ whistles as football practice takes place. Then on the last night of the month, you hear the rustle as little costumed beings walk through the fallen leaves, their candy bags in hand as they call out “Trick or Treat”

So this month, take the time to listen to the subtle sounds of October.