November Days

It’s just the second day of November and we’ve already had snow that seems to be sticking.

November Days

There is about a half inch of snow covering the grass of our backyard. It may be beautiful and not terribly annoying but snow already! It is a long sweep of cold time between now and next April.

November

 

The snow
began slowly, 
a soft and easy
sprinkling

of flakes, then clouds of flakes
in the baskets of the wind
and the branches
of the trees –

oh, so pretty.
We walked
through the growing stillness,
as the flakes

prickled the path,
then covered it,
then deepened
as in curds and drifts,

as the wind grew stronger,
shaping its work
less delicately,
taking greater steps

over the hills
and through the trees
until, finally,
we were cold,

and far from home.
We turned
and followed our long shadows back
to the house,

stamped our feet,
went inside, and shut the door.
Through the window
we could see

how far away it was to the gates of April.
Let the fire now
put on its red hat
and sing to us.

Mary Oliver

Ever Hopeful

I am still hoping for a late-season warm spell but the snow outside my window does not bode well for that wish.

November is when the bones of the trees reveal themselves and the landscape shifts to a monochrome gray-brown color. It’s often the cloudiest month of the year here in Minnesota. I find it a difficult time of the year to make landscape photographs unless the mood I want to portray is dull and gray.

“How I wish to fly with the geese away from dreary November days, the “freeze-up,” and cruel winter. Away from loneliness, isolation, and anxiety bred by blizzards. Most every local person I’ve talked to grudgingly admits to an autumn apprehension. It is part and parcel of an Adirondacker’s psychological makeup. The geese contaminate us with this strange depression on their southbound flight and cure us with their northbound. In between, we try to tolerate winter, each in his or her own way.”
― Anne LaBastille, Woodswoman I: Living Alone in the Adirondack Wilderness

And filled with gratitude

Still, I am thankful to live in a place with such natural beauty all around. The current wildfires in California are truly frightening and I feel deep compassion for anyone near such catastrophic fires. I am grateful that we have more than enough moisture this year and most years to prevent such catastrophes from occurring here.

While climate change seems to be making states like California dryer, Minnesota seems to be on the other end of the moisture spectrum. The past few years we have had more rainfall and snowfall.

As I mourn the loss of warmer days and dread the onslaught of full-on winter, I still spend time each day appreciating life exactly as it is. This beautiful place where I live would not be complete without the winter days.

The winter season is a time for pulling our energy and thoughts inward spending time in stillness and contemplation, a necessary balance in the circle of life.

“In November, the trees are standing all sticks and bones. Without their leaves, how lovely they are, spreading their arms like dancers. They know it is time to be still.”
― Cynthia Rylant, In November

How do you feel about November days? Do you greet them with a mixture of dread and gratitude like I do? Or do you love winter and feel like you can’t wait for December? However you feel, November days are here again. I hope you enjoy them and find something to be grateful for in the midst of them.

May you walk in beauty.