Wednesday, November 14, 2007

The Bare Bones of Things

The leaves are down, the trees are barren, and I like it this way.

This is when Steve and I usually head north for a few days of mountain climbing. October is peak foliage but November is special in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It's still warm enough so that snow isn't an issue except perhaps on Mount Washington. The tourists are gone and the skiiers haven't come yet. But what we enjoy most of all is that, with the trees barren of leaves, we can see so much more.

I'm staying close to home this year because of my accident and Tasha's age. Even so, I can enjoy the new views in the woods next to our home. With the leaves off the trees and brush, I can see rocks and knolls that are usually hidden from view. At the top of the high hill, I can see clear to Mount Wachusetts (Massachusetts) and Mount Monadnock (New Hampshire). There's no secrets this time of year.

Except the ones of the heart perhaps.

TOMORROW: Meet Roxanne Henke and her dog, Gunner. I feel I know him already because he's got the same white snout and chest that Tasha has!

3 comments:

Bonnie S. Calhoun said...

I really hate when the leaves are gone. The world seems so sad, and in this part of the country, it spends so much time being grey rather than sunny, that it only exemplefies it!

Pam Halter said...

It's like living at the Jersey shore. My parents live in North Cape May and they are so relieved when summer is over and they get their town back.

Bonnie, I join you in lamenting the fallen leaves. I guess that's why I love Christmas lights so much.

But then comes January & February and the hope of sun sparkling on snow! Which leads to crocus popping up in March.

I guess we have to look for color wherever we can find it.

Kathryn Mackel said...

The barren trees and brush are a tease to me because the ticks are still out there. I see all these cool rocks I want to climb on but I don't dare push through the brush--though they're barren of leaves--to get to them.

Like Pam, I love the snow but for a different reason. It means the ticks are finally vanquished and I can go anywhere I want in the woods.