The summer has come to a close, with all of its relaxed splendor, and sun-filled afternoons, even if there were a bit too few of the sun-filled ones.
With autumn seems to come a frenzy of preparation for the oncoming winter quiet. There is a lot to do. I always visualize the ant and the grasshopper fable this time of year, with the grasshopper having spent his summer frolicking in the grass and sun, and the ant having busily prepared himself for winter, storing food for the long, cold season.
I have to admit, I have a little bit of the grasshopper in me, and spent much of my summer season putting off the gathering of firewood and food preparation I perhaps should have.
However, there are many things which can’t be done ahead, such as covering the single-pane windows. Who wants to block out the sun in the summer, and keep out the fresh summer breezes after all?
And the garden cannot be harvested before it has had a chance to grow.
However, all of these things must be done before the cold sets in, and with any procrastination adding to the chores, the autumn to-do list becomes an almost unclimbable mountain right about now.
Many of my friends have been having the same feeling of being a bit overwhelmed and it seems as though I’ve been dealing with crisis after crisis in the last week, and everyone around me is rushing around in a bit of a frenzy.
The stress can add up and it is all to easy to become crushed under the weight of it all.
However, while the flurry of activity and chores to complete can be stressful, a recent sun-filled morning helped to recharge me, at least briefly and gave me a moment to reflect.
The soft autumn morning light was shining across Stuart Lake when I woke up, onto the golden aspen leaves along the shoreline, and I decided to take the time to recharge.
Instead of heading straight for the computer, and even before my usual coffee and breakfast routine, I grabbed my camera and took a morning tour to shoot a couple of quick photographs.
The small time out from my regular rush to work helped recharge me for the day and gave me brief respite from the rush.
I hope everyone can at least pause long enough to enjoy the incredible fall colours and take a deep breath in to smell the ripened wild cranberries in the forest before returning to the hustle and bustle.
After all, winter will come, what will get done will get done, and we will have all winter to enjoy the long nights and quiet moments of the winter peace.