Enjoy it while we can

Our North Country can be, and often is, a very interesting place to live. The weather forecast for the upcoming week provides a fascinating example. Tuesday we’re expecting a high temperature of 67℉ and thunderstorms. Four days later, Saturday brings a high of 43℉ and snow showers. Of course, snow showers have already come and gone several times in the extended forecast, se we’re just going to wait and see, although the forecast looks like a pretty solid hint it’s time to start swapping seasonal wardrobes.

October’s North Country beauty

Photo by J. Harrington

Since deer firearms season opens soon (November 4), it’s also time to dig out florescent orange hats. vests and jackets and put away bug repellant shirts. I’ll try to make it until after Christmas before I start looking forward to again putting away winter coats etc. Although Ireland and northern England are generally warmer than our North Country, the fact that Imbolc, earliest of Celtic spring festivals, occurs about February 1 offers at least psychic relief while we still seem to be, and probably will be, in the depths of winter. The bug shirts will still be sleeping in the closet for several more months.

Closer to now we’ll celebrate Samhain/Halloween. Once again the prospect of having no Trick or Treaters except those in the family hangs over the holiday. One of the downsides of country living is that, in more than 25 years, all treats have stayed in the family, although the local raccoons or bears are good for occasional tricks involving scattering the contents of trash cans.

It will be many months before we again enjoy autumn’s vibrant colors. Let’s focus our attention this week on nature’s exuberance before she climbs under the covers to mostly sleep a season away. Perhaps next weekend we’ll watch snowflakes falling under a full moon.

Beginning

By James Wright

The moon drops one or two feathers into the field.   

The dark wheat listens.

Be still.

Now.

There they are, the moon's young, trying

Their wings.

Between trees, a slender woman lifts up the lovely shadow

Of her face, and now she steps into the air, now she is gone

Wholly, into the air.

I stand alone by an elder tree, I do not dare breathe

Or move.

I listen.

The wheat leans back toward its own darkness,

And I lean toward mine.

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