The Seasonal Cycle – Shedding and Resting, Autumn to Winter.
Many of us find autumn to winter a depressing time, not least because of the changes in the weather and the prospect of darker, colder days to come.
“into the coppery halls
of beech and intricate oak
to be close to the trees
as they whisper together
let fall their leaves
and we die for the winter”
“Whim Wood”, Katherine Towers.
Seeing the falling of leaves brings feelings of sadness for some, yet Maloof reminds us that:
“Fallen leaves mean life, not death, to a myriad of organisms. The lives of tiny soil insects and bacteria depend on this bounty, and in a few years the leaves become soil – a true wealth.” Maloof, J
After the leaves have fallen, it’s time to wait. Life goes on in the forest, but it’s slowed down as the trees wait for the natural triggers that tell their buds to open.
A quietness inhabits the forest as winter approaches, then takes hold.
“When the sun comes out after a fall of snow, the world feels transformed. As it melts, the snow seeps into the forest floor, providing water for the trees and streams.” Maloof, J
In his essay “The Forest in Winter", John Boucha maintains that ”Staying indoors breeds insanity” as we are basically nomadic human animals who are best suited to wandering through nature. He notes that Seasonal Affective Disorder can strike “when cave-dwelling takes precedence over adequate sunshine and fresh air.” Boucha gives good reasons for being outdoors in winter as “Thoughts are erased from the blackboard of the mind while our lungs breathe in the cold which helps ease a tense body. . .The whiteness seals the earth, muting all echoes with a gentle softness.”
“This winter day – grim, yet so delicate –
Looking, so spiritual – striking emotional,
Impalpable depths, subtler than all the poems,
Paintings, music, I have ever read, seen, heard.”
Walt Whitman.
“Take long walks in stormy weather or through deep snows in the woods,
If you would keep your spirits up. Deal with brute nature.
Be cold and hungry and weary.”
Henry David Thoreau.
Out for our walk this afternoon and as we set off home, as if on key, the soft snow began to fall as the light began to fade, magical!
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