fall

Thankful

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What a rich world we inhabit, with so many things to be thankful for! As our seasons change in the North it’s been wistful to say goodbye to the colors and brightness of fall. The leaves have fallen, allowing the sunlight to stream unhindered through the canopy of trees. The wind rustles branches rather than dried leaves. With a bench in a strategic spot, I paused on my walk in the woods to listen, to observe, to think.

And within a short span the calendar changed, the wind direction shifted, and winter slid in. November came and the winds blew cold coming out of the Canadian prairies and brought the snow. It was beautiful to watch it float down. The flakes silently landed on the trees. Others melted as they hit the water surface. For this moment the world was calm. And quiet. And beautiful.

With snow falling down around me, I gave a nod of thanks for the scene surrounding me and the changing seasons. Thankful for family and friends, near and far, and for those that came before me, and for all the love that surrounds me. Thankful for the paths I’ve followed, the adventures I’ve taken, and the lessons I’ve learned. Thankful for all the simple things – a roof over my head, clothes, heat, five working senses, and my health. I look forward to the lessons to be learned in this upcoming winter season.

The change from a glorious fall to winter

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It’s been an extended and lovely fall season here in the North. The trees took on their autumn colors and glowed in the sunshine and the unusual warmth. It’s been a time of “oohs” and “aahs” as we’ve taken in the glorious colors – golds, yellows, reds, oranges, and all the shades imaginable.

With a night or two of temperatures below freezing, the colors began to loose their luster. The brightness dimmed and the leaves began to loosen their grip. Down they fluttered (or seemingly slammed if the wind was gusting) and covered the ground. Rakes and leaf blowers have been brought back to life from the deep reaches of the sheds and garages. Now as you walk outside there is a crunch under your footsteps – a signal to the seasonal change to winter.

And as we enjoy 60s and 70s today, there’s even a forecast of snow in two days! Each year we marvel and appreciate the fall colors, and each year we say how much we enjoy them and wish they’d last longer. But Mother Nature is always on her own schedule. She has given us an autumn show that’s been spectacular, and for that I am grateful.

From fall to winter in four days

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We sailed into November with lovely fall weather in the Northland. Sunshine and warm temperatures were welcome and enjoyed, while everyone held their breath knowing we were running on borrowed time. On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving we even launched the boat and went fishing in open water – the latest fishing we’ve ever done in November. The next morning we awakened to a beautiful sunrise with bits of ice on the surface, especially near the shoreline. But the sun and the wind that blew across the lake caused the ice to break up during the day.

With a high temperature of 27 degrees on Friday there was more ice that formed on the lake surface. The wind blew throughout the day, but it wasn’t enough to break up all the ice. As the sun was setting there was more ice and less open water, resulting in some fascinating reflections in the lake surface.

Saturday morning dawned with clouds and cold, and a lake surface completely frozen over. The ice remained all day as the frigid temperatures settled in and the sunshine was intermittent.

And by Sunday there was a dusting of snow and continual snow showers throughout the day. The ground was hard and frozen, and the lake was solid ice – perhaps for the remainder of winter.

And just like that we transitioned from fall to winter in a short four days. Yes, we’ll see more temperatures above freezing and yes, we’ll see plenty more temps hovering around 0 degrees. But with this quick change of seasons I’m convinced even more we need to savor each day, appreciate the changes that take place, and embrace each season for all its beauty.

A last look at fall, plus calendars & holiday cards

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Fall was here last Sunday, in all her resplendent colors. The sun shone brightly and illuminated the reds and yellows. That night the temperatures dipped, the frost came and the leaves dried, taking their brilliant colors with them. Monday was gray and chilly, and it snowed overnight. And just like that fall is gone and winter is here.

That also means that the winter holidays are fast approaching, and I’m again offering my holiday cards and desk calendars. There are four unique card scenes to choose from – two winter landscape cards and two poinsettia cards. These are a special way to send your greetings and to connect with family and friends.

There are two 5×7″ calendars – one of nature scenes and one of floral images. These easily fit into a frame that can sit on your desk, or a magnetic frame you can place on your refrigerator – a quick way to reference the month and day, and to brighten your surroundings.

Information about both the holiday cards and calendars can be found on my website under the respective tabs/headings. Please reach out to me if you have any questions or comments.

And in the vein of our upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, thank you for following along to my blog. It’s a real pleasure for me to share my adventures and the views of my surroundings.

Into the fall forest

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I spent the day hiking along a lake and then through the forest. It was a perfect fall day with a blue sky and warm temperatures. The sun was shining and the leaf colors had begun their change. Everywhere I looked I was amazed at the beauty surrounding me – wanting to take it all in and absorb the warmth that I know will be waning soon. After hiking a couple of miles, I sat down on a bench along the trail and decided to create an image that would reflect the way that I was surrounded by the trees, the colors, and the sunlight coming through the woods.