There is no denying the bittersweet nature of this time of year - the heat of the sun at its peak, blueberries being raked off bushes and finding their way into pies, jams, and even salad dressings, local businesses bustling with customers local and from away. The days are long and the nights are full of mischief. But still, there is an unmistakable hint of what is to come: the lone falling oak leaf, autumn catalogues in the mailbox, the sudden arrival of another school year.