November 2003
Well, the weather has really changed. Most of the leaves are off the trees, only the Red Oaks in my yard are hanging on. |
|
|
| |
|
|
I remember somewhere reading a legend about how the oak trees are the last to lose their leaves. I'll have to try and find that story. It might make a nice book. (This is ONE of the ways I "get my ideas." I guess you could also call it inspiration.)
One of the reasons I love living in upper New England is that we do have four seasons. "Locals" joke that we only have two seasons - summer and a darn long winter!
|
|
|
Some people find late fall-early winter bleak, but I love the muted colors in the landscape. A good friend of mine, Jack Schanhaar, who I shared a house with in Vermont in the middle-late 50's, called them "ICON colors," after the muted tones of Russian Icons.
Then comes the snow, filling up the spaces, such as, the meadow my house sits on and I can then really see the shape of the bare landscape.
Even though Thanksgiving isn't one of my favorite holidays (I don't like turkey!), I do have very fond memories of the Thanksgiving Day dinners we had for years at Nana and Tom's, my Irish grandparents.
Nana was a magician with turkey. Hers always had crispy skin and was moist and juicy inside. Her stuffing still makes my mouth water when I think of it. I'd fill my plate with stuffing, mashed turnips - yes - I loved them! - candied sweet potatoes and one slice of turkey.
I saved room for Nana's FANTASTIC mincemeat pie. She told me her secret. (I make mine at Christmas.) But NO! I won't give you the secret! I promised to keep it, so there!
Long nights, short days, the smell of people's fireplaces burning, filling the crisp air, all add up to looking inside - not only my spaces - house and studio - but inside myself as well - a time for reflection.
Of course, December is on its way and that always fills me with so much joy. I'll tell you about that next month.
Enough for now.
I'll continue my ramblings in a few weeks.
|
