November's Sky

As I write this the rain is coming down outside.  Steadily, since sometime in the night, it fills the dips in the roads and makes puddles everywhere.

These pictures were taken a few days before the rain, but as you can see the sky was overcast and predicting rainy days. I did want to get a couple of fall leaf color trees off to you -- before they are all gone.

Its been one of our best color seasons -- does that mean it will be a cold winter?  Does that mean it will be an early spring?  The seasons bring so many questions - and often the answers aren't anywhere near correct.

Guess its best to take each day as it comes savoring its richness in whatever form we are given.

"Delicious autumn!  My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." - George Eliot

Weather Woes

This picture does NOT reflect what is outside my window today!  There has been no snow here at all (well, maybe one skiff, hardly noticeable at the end of December).  Every year in this area people worry about snow.  We live in a hilly country with lots of curvy roads.  When it snows we are paralyzed!  The school buses can't maneuver the roads, there is little if any snow removal by the city/county and you had better have some kind of stock of food on hand.

This year, with no snow and flowers blooming in February there are a whole new set of worries.  Our agricultural crops of apples, peaches and berries are vital to the economy.  Everyone is now worried that the buds will come on and then be frozen by a late (very late) winter snow and/or deep freeze.

There has been so much discussion throughout the community - worrying about the weather.  We worry when snow is predicted - we worry when no snow is predicted.  I have to wonder if perhaps the gobbles we hear from the wild turkeys that wander our neighborhood are merely more discussion about the winter of 2011/2012.

"Sometimes I wish that I was the weather, you'd bring me up in conversation forever.  And when it rained, I'd be the talk of the day." - John Mayer

Decorated With Ice

So much has been going on in my life these past few weeks that I am just now getting out pictures of a beautiful sight that greeted me on one of my winter walks.  Walking has been more of an exception than a daily pleasure lately.  Our weather has not been conducive to walking (or even driving). 

But one day, a few days after an ice storm I was able to get myself out and about.  The first thing that greeted me as I walked out the back door was a walk covered in what looked like bits of glass.  It was ice that had blown off the trees and bushes.  It looked like someone had broken hundreds of panes of glass.  Then as I walked I heard the tinkle of 'glass' above me.  Looking up into the tree branches I saw the sparkle of ice hanging from every branch.  As I walked bits of ice would trickle down amongst the branches of the trees, landing on the ground below.

It was a magical sight to see - the sun sparkling on the bits and pieces of ice which still hung from the trees.  I know it is treacherous and I know it causes a lot of damage but still it was a beautiful sight as I trudged up the hill enjoying one day free of snow/ice/sleet or rain.

"When all is said and done, the weather and love are two elements about which one can never be sure."- Alice Hoffman

Goodbye Friend

We had a recent ice storm - this on top of several snow storms (some snow is still on the ground from December), rain, sleet and exceptionally cold weather.  So when the ice coated the tree branches it was just too much for some of them to withstand.

As I sat working in my studio I heard a loud thud as two huge branches fell on top of the garage roof.  These branches came from an old tree that has stood outside the back door for many, many years -- probably was here before the back door was even built. 

Once Frank, the tree man, came out and looked at what was left of the tree he told us that it would have to come down.  I guess our option was to take it down now or wait until the rest of it came down on top of our house (not really a pleasant thing to think about).  So the tree was removed.

As anyone who has read my posts knows -- I have an affinity for trees and to see one cut down is difficult for me.  Even when I know that it has to be done it hurts.  Once, we had to clear property in the forest to build a house (not this house) and as they cut one tree down they would come to us and say 'you really need to remove that one too' - it was like a huge amputation.  I finally could not stand it - but walked into the nearby forest and cried for the fact that we were removing those trees.  Believe me we did not remove any more than absolutely had to be taken down but still...

So one more tree in my life is being taken down -- it has served us well through the past five years that we've lived here, giving us shade in the summer, color in the fall and the sculpture of its trunk and branches during the winter.  I will miss it!

"He plants trees to benefit another generation." - Caecilius Statius