NOVEMBER CHILL

The glory of Autumn is almost a memory. At the beginning of the week the Japanese Maple was still in it's prime and then the cold north wind started to blow and as much as the crimson leaves tried to hang on, they turned dark and brittle, and in great gusts they were flung all over the back yard. Time to rake, kick some leaves and rake again. Be a kid at heart!

Underneath the Maple lies a special circle of rocks, carefully chosen and engraved by Grampa with each of our grandkids names. The children love to find and read their names and compare the rocks and letter characters. In summer the center of this circle blooms prolifically with Impatiens, funny as that is such a common trait of children. But now, buried in the circle is a surprise rainbow of 25 mixed tulip bulbs. They lie in the cold ground covered with decaying leaves, guarded by a family of rabbits, waiting for spring!
So already I wait in anticipation for spring. CBC radio 2 was playing Robert Schumann's Spring Symphony two days ago as our temperatures dipped into the minus double digits and Eastern Canada was blanketed in snow. It wasn't meant to taunt us but to offer hope for the gentle season of spring which always comes after the chilly winds, the snowstorms, and all the freezing cold of winter that we must endure.

                                                                    Wild is the music of autumnal winds 

                     Amongst the faded woods.

~William Wordsworth