November
November is a strange month where I live. The sugar rush of Halloween is mostly over. Hanukkah is still weeks away and most people aren’t ready to start talking about Christmas. Except my youngest. She is always ready to talk about Christmas. School is in full swing with mid-terms and other such tests but the holiday vacations seem very far away. We put on the heating more so we open our windows less. It is not really fall anymore but winter hasn’t technically arrived.
Similarly, the landscape looks caught between seasons. The grass is still green but most of the trees look brown because they have lost their leaves. Happily, there are a few beautiful exceptions. Yellow and occasionally flame red, these few trees practically scream, “No, not ready for winter!”
File it under: You only discuss this kind of stuff if it snows where you live…
For many people the most beautiful part of fall is seeing the colors of the trees. And when the leaves start falling the ground becomes the canvas of colors. For property owners the second stage is less interesting. By mid fall most leaves have been raked, bagged and sent for composting. Since they never all fall at once the previous process is often repeated. Perhaps because raking takes up such a huge chunk of people’s time it is often a subject of news reports and post office get-to-together talks. Here the “to rake” or “not to rake” is a real(and often heated) conversation topic.
There are two schools of thought regarding raking leaves for winter. Nature groups explain that not raking creates more places for bugs that overwinter in leaves. This helps to create better backyard diversity. Grass lovers point out that too thick a layer will prevent your grass from breathing properly. Thus poorer growth in the spring. Also a potential for mold, etc. I don’t like mold but I tend to side with the bug lovers, but hubby likes the grass…and his mower.
Here comes winter…
As soon as the weather starts getting colder it seems like our bodies start preparing. Not sure what evolution has told them to do but you can feel it happening. For our cats it must be a thickening of their fur. I know this because of the excessive amounts of cat puke and hairballs I suddenly start finding. For humans I am not really sure. Everyone I know, including me, just seems more tired. Then every now and again there are warmish days. This screws everything up and we have to start all over when it gets colder again. This is usually when we all start getting colds.
The coat closet changes too. I have put away the summer items(sunblock, flipflops, hats, etc.). Now is the time for the heavy duty stuff like snow pants, winter coats, boots, gloves, scarves, etc. My kids always hated the arrival of the winter items. Everything was heavier and took longer to put on. You got hot in the bus wearing all of this stuff…and there wasn’t even any snow yet to enjoy. Now only my youngest wears the heavier stuff. At least she is the only one I can make wear the warmer stuff. But true to form she is still full of complaints.
November is also a month of projects. But not really the fun ones. Raking. Installing the winterized walls for our backdoor shelter. Setting up the carport and taking apart the trampoline. And don’t forget about picking up all of stuff we are just now realizing was left lying around the yard. Oh…and the garden. I absolutely love having a garden but, except for my husband, it is not a family project. The kids have never really been into it. C’est la vie. This year’s garden was mildly successful but Meniere’s Disease does not a pretty garden make. Regardless, I still need to plant garlic and clean up a bit…the rest will have to wait for spring time.
There is also the sun issue. A naturopath once explained to me that people who live at a certain distance above the equator are often lacking in Vitamin D. She said that from October to March(ish) the sunlight isn’t strong enough to keep our levels up. That is often why some people feel more depressed in January and February. Our reserves are really low or gone. I always thought that was because we tired of shoveling snow and scraping windshields. Thank goodness for Vitamin D supplements. We live by them…and our “light” lamp.
Not all bad..
Despite the many changes it can be a peaceful time. For me November is a reflective month. I know the year is ending soon so I start thinking about what I might want to finish before the new one. Hopefully in a realistic, “what can I actually get done” way. Not a frenetic “Oh my god the year is almost over and I have so much to do” way.
People are mostly done with their summer renovation and construction projects and the lawns are pretty much done needing to be mowed. These both lead to less outside noise. No more waking up to a chorus of lawnmowers on a Sunday morning.
Also there are lots of squirrels and birds busily preparing for winter. This keeps my cats happily glued to the window with some strange idea that they might actually catch one. This makes for some great giggle moments. Also where I work is less busy. So, while my job is the same, there is less rushing.
There is one other positive change that I think often goes unnoticed. For all of summer the zillions of evergreen trees have been sleepily blending in with all of the other green trees. While winter is definitely their time to shine, November seems to be their awakening. It is now, with the stark lack of color, that these beautiful green wonders stand out for the first time in months.
One of many things that makes November special and a great time to take a walk.
