IT'S COLD IN THE WOODS

Afterglow      Coloured Etching

November

It’s cold in the woods these days.

The trees stand naked,

Their branches are bare.

Their leaves have all fallen,

They cover the ground,

And some,

Have already turned brown.

Winter is in the air.

Autumn      Softground etching with Aquatint

There was a time when come autumn, after the leaves had fallen, we'd head up to Algonquin Provincial Park day-tripping, and hike the trails. Sometimes we'd take the canoe and paddle on Rock Lake, or Canisbay Lake. Crazy, now that I think about it, as sometimes it would be very cold, and still, we'd head out onto the lake while ice formed in the creeks, and snow flurries sizzled as they landed on the warm water around us. It was a marvellous time. It was as if we were the only people in the park. The only sounds were those of distant ravens, and the whistle of the wind. In moments like that one cannot help but become very philosophical, and come to realize that everything  once vibrant and full of life must come to an end.

Autumn

The leaves fall silently to the forest floor,

And swirl together like long lost friends.

Reunited in the autumn of their time

Their colours linger long past prime.

Waiting.

Comes the frost that withers.

Buried beneath the softly falling snow,

They join together on their final journey.

Forest Floor     Watercolour Painting

Yes, winter's breathe is in the air. With the garden put to bed, and much of the yard work finished, it's just a matter of waiting for that first snowfall, the one that lingers, and signals that winter has come to stay. Most of our winter friends, the resident birds, Blue Jays, Chickadees, Juncos, Mourning Doves, Goldfinch, and the odd woodpecker, are busy at the feeding station. A  pecking order is being established that will last throughout the long winter. Let's hope that it's a moderate winter, one with enough snow to enjoy, and one that doesn't overstay its welcome and that it leaves before April. Let's hope.