The praying mantis gets its name because the way it holds its front legs looks like it is praying. The Latin name is mantis religiosa. Observing a mantis can feel like witnessing a tiny act of meditation, a reminder to slow down and be present. In this part of the United States, in autumn, as the days shorten and nature shifts toward dormancy, the mantis seems to embody the quiet, reflective energy of the season. Evidence of this change in Greensboro this week is the fact that night temperatures have been dropping 20 degrees and the hours of daylight are noticeably shorter.

Let’s all go outside today and see what we can observe in the world around us. Autumn won’t really be in full swing until the end of September; however, plants are going to seed, squirrels are gathering acorns, deer seem to be more active in dawn and dusk.

Can you believe today is the last day of August? 

Happy Sunday!