Fall Beauty

My memory does not go back far enough to recall a fall season that has been more pleasant than this one.  For the last four weeks we have had temperatures in the above-normal range with little moisture.  It has been a perfect harvest season for the farmers as they have completed both the bean and corn production.  After a couple of windy and cooler days, we are now back on track with beautiful weather, allowing those same farmers to apply fertilizer, work the soil for next year, and begin to enjoy the fruits of their labors.

Many of the trees have been bedecked in fall glory.  The geese have begun drifting south, and the other songbirds are also absent.  Leaves rustle underfoot as we amble through the yard.  The garden has been cleared off after a most abundant crop of tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, carrots, onions, beats and finally mounds of squash.  As we close out this month of October, the recognition dawns that there is something new coming, something we are maybe not yet prepared to face.

Yet, with the approach of winter, we are reminded once again of the cycle of life.  Like the rhubarb and the asparagus, we also need a "down time" to be able to rest, reflect and renew our energies.  Recalling a year ago, we already had three weeks of cold, snowy, wet weather which had made it nearly impossible for the farmers to function.  So, it is with gratitude to God that we welcome the month of November and whatever the next few months bring.  We know for certain that the same God who has blessed us through this beautiful fall will go before us into the approaching winter.