The Season of SAD?

There is not as much aerial activity in the garden as there was the previous evening, when the flying ants provided a sky buffet for bulbuls and thrushes, while higher up bats flitted hither and yon and the swallows caught the insects that escaped the lower predators in the pecking order.

The equinox has been and gone and already there are intimations of Autumn. From a promising start the day turned gloomy and grey, and while most of the trees are still green, the foliage has darkened in some, losing the freshness of spring and summer, while other leaves fade to yellow, dropping to carpet the lawn, dappling the shade that was hitherto dense and cool. 

This drooping of the sky and falling leaves brings a general damp dreariness to the atmosphere with an accompanying lack of productivity in the humans affected by it.

The equinox is believed to bring a balance to the world - all should be in equilibrium before tipping towards summer in the North and winter in the South. One would hope that rather than gloom and depression, the mood should be one of tranquillity, serenity and reflection. Perhaps it is simply a moment to pause in order to maintain the equilibrium in a moment of quiet contemplation.