33: Dark day

It’s not really that dark.  I went a little extreme in Photoshop.  But it seems to fit the season, with Halloween coming up soon.

It is, however, gray and gloomy.  I took this view of the pond around noon.  There was not a lot of light to speak of.  It’s quite a contrast to yesterday’s sunshine.

(Crow in the locust tree.)

Today’s outdoor adventure was pretty uneventful.  Or it was eventful in small ways but I can’t think of a thing to write about so I went to Plinky for a prompt.  Today’s prompt is:  Do you celebrate Halloween?  Why or why not?

(Robin in an unidentified tree.)

Well, I don’t, really.  We live out in the country so decorating and having candy handy for the Trick or Treating little folks is a waste.  Nobody comes by because it can be a long walk between houses.  We do have a pumpkin and some mums livening up the deck as a nod to the season, but Mother Nature does such a brilliant job of decorating this time of year that I don’t feel the need to do it myself.

Sometimes I celebrate Halloween as a harvest festival, as another turning in the wheel of the year, and to mark the end of summer.  We usually have our first snowflakes by Halloween, a clear indication that winter is not far off.  Daylight will continue to dwindle until the Winter Solstice and outdoor temperatures will do the same.  Hilgert’s, the local farm where we do our produce shopping when in season, will have an abundance of greens and winter squashes this time of year.  Our diet will change to more soups and stews and heartier dishes than we eat during the summer months.

It will be time to put away the summer clothing and get out the cold weather gear.  Sweaters, sweatshirts, thermal underwear, coats, scarves, gloves, hats, and boots will replace the t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, sandals, bathing suits, and flip-flops.  We usually have the storm windows installed by Halloween, to keep out the winter drafts of cold air.  The swim platform and boats are put away for the season, a chore that we did this past weekend and one that always brings a tinge of melancholy with it.  I don’t get too sad, though.  The trees are still displaying color and once the leaves drop we’ll be able to see and explore what’s behind the tree cover.  I like the winter landscape (just as I like the other seasons).  We’ll have snow to play in.  We can make snowpeople, go cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and sled down the sledding hill.  The pond will freeze and there will be ice skating.  There will be warm, crackling fires in the fireplaces.  Hot chocolate to drink.  And lots of cozy evenings cuddled up with a good book or with my wonderful husband.

Just before the death of flowers,
And before they are buried in snow,
There comes a festival season
When nature is all aglow.

~ Author unknown

(The woods aglow.)

How about you?  Do you celebrate Halloween?  Why or why not?  And if you do, how do you celebrate it?

We’ll be doing the drawing for the Give-Away at 7:30pm (eastern time) tonight.  I’ll announce the winner tomorrow.  See ya then!  🙂