November’s sky is chill and drear…..
Sir Walter Scott
It is difficult to think of much positive about dark November. Heavy rain and wind have taken a toll on the colourful leaves and soon all will be bare.
I have always been a bit envious of my English cousins for their bonfire night celebrations in early November. (Please remember the Fifth of November, Gunpowder Treason and Plot….).
The biggest fire I have ever seen up close was in a school yard in a small village in Gloucestershire many years ago. We really have nothing similar to relieve the tedium of this dreary month.
My smaller vegetable garden looks bare now with the asparagus cut off and most of the annual flowers frosted and gone. A few brave California poppies are still blooming. They will still be hanging in there I hope when I finally get around to planting my garlic.
The giant bay tree which lives outside all summer has been brought inside for the winter. It is now as tall as I am in spite of much pruning.
It has come a long way from when it was given to me in a six inch pot.
I will add some daffodils to the hillside facing the house. This planting of naturalised daffodils is very much a work in progress. I add to it every few years when the mood strikes me. I’m happy to see a few small poplars have just appeared here. I originally planted daffodils between smallish poplars going for a woodland garden effect. And Nature laughed. The resident beavers decided that they needed those poplars. So that was the end of that idea for many years until the new poplars appeared. We will see how long they last this time. I have learned that Nature usually wins in these type of situations. Best laid plans and all that.
The heat of the woodstove helps to push away the damp cold of November. I look forward to all of those wonderful soups and stews of winter. And I am definitely in the winter food is better camp.
The stovepipes of the Findlay Oval didn’t fight back this year as they usually do when I put them back together after fall cleaning. That has to be a first and I’m hoping that it’s a good omen for the coming winter. We will see.
By Jill Williams
