Gloomy November

With the end of November comes several days of perpetual gloom here on the farm. As the cold begins to creep into our bones, I’ve begun my yearly pilgrimage of bringing dried firewood from the barn to the house. It’s a another peaceful ritual I hated as a kid, but enjoy as an adult.

Nothing is more rewarding than drinking your morning coffee in the warmth of the wood stove

Comically on this first trip from the barn, our daihatsu mini truck ran out of gas. The little truck hasn’t seen much use since the spring, and topping off the tank had fallen off the to do list. As the big wet snowflakes pelted my glasses as I hiked up the muddy hill on the back side of our farm, I couldn’t help but observe the transition from fall to winter. The trees dropped their leaves several weeks ago, but the cold slop was the real reminder that time is marching forward.

The days feel very short now, but soon we’ll hit the winter equinox. Until then, we’ll be wearing our tall mud boots on the farm and gathering by the wood stove.