October Is

October is.... crop-laden fields gleaned of their bounty, laid bare by the sharp-honed blades of man and machine. October is.... trees shedding rich-hued, chameleon coats, standing naked against sharp winds and sightless night skies. October is.... wildlife feeding, foraging, rutting; some migrate, some store up, and others make ready for a long hibernal sleep in den or other woodland refuge. October is.... falling leaves and field chaff laying a carpet among the barren trees. Each of our crisp footfalls yields the aromatic fragrance of nature and decay. October is.... winds unimpeded, washing down upon field, woods and home, drying and searing the earth, but with cold. October is.... the fallow soils, annealing themselves as a sign of accord with fall's acquiescence. October is.... our sun, still present in its arc, withdrawing for a season and a time. October is.... night skies exhaling frigid breaths of air; the chill envelopes us in a crisp, palpable grip. October is.... the moon marking its sentinel course across a mute and fathomless purple sky. October is.... families in cozy shelters, having prepared and stored up to abide safe, sated, and warm. October is.... nature and man acknowledging the imminent quiet, reflection, and dormancy of winter. 10-1-13