Did you hear the buzz in the trees at courthouse square Thursday evening?

Yep.

Fall is coming.

I know you must think I'm crazy, but when baseball holds the All-Star Game and you can hear the insects in the trees, it means summer, that just began in late June, is already on the wane.

Fall is coming.

Now don't panic. You've still got a weekend's worth of the wonderful Saline County Fair to take in, several more trips to the lake, pool, etc., and I suspect many people have yet to take that first summer vacation.

But when the buzz begins in the trees, remember summer is on the wane.

Yes, the baseball All-Star Game is one of those summer barometers for me.

The Tuesday, July 11, of the classic in Pittsburgh was played more aggressively than I've seen mid-summer spectacles played. I mean really, who steals bases in an All-Star Game? Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets did, and that aggressive move paved the way for the National League -- which if you've noticed lately -- NEVER wins these things -- yes, paved the way for a National League lead going into the top of the ninth inning.

Then, as the Senior Circuit has done for the past decade, the NL loses it.

One run. Ten runs. It really doesn't matter. The National League doesn't win these games -- not like when I was growing up and the National League had a near two-to-one game dominance of the American League in All-Star games.

No, the National League didn't win Tuesday. Several years ago, a loss in the mid-summer classic wouldn't have meant much. But, as Fox Sports told us time and time again, these games count.

Whoever wins the baseball All-Star Game receives the home-field advantage in the World Series. Granted, since this new rule was implemented, the World Series hasn't been stretched into a seventh game, the time when having that home-field advantage is crucial.

But one of these years, maybe this year, having the advantage of home field in the World Series will be important.

Then, I suspect, the National League may try even harder than it did Tuesday night -- and, they did try hard, very hard --to beat the Junior Circuit.

Until then -- how 'bout them Royals?

Mason is the editor of The Marshall Democrat-News. Spectrum appears on Friday.