I know that November is a tough month for many folks, especially those 'up North', where sunlight becomes scarce, cold, wet winds blow, and that white stuff falls from the sky.
But, here in the Southern Mountains of NC, Winters are milder, and after the horrendously hot days of this year, I am happy to awaken to a grey, windy, rainy day. A day where I don't have to squint, or put on sunglasses, to see the squirrels caching their acorns, or the ravens squabbling over the catfood 'bitings' I tossed out for them. I can see the ridgeline in Tennesse, and Clingman's Dome, through the trees that have kindly dropped their leaves, to allow this cold weather view to happen.
It is a good day, and I am happy to have it off, to enjoy.
Funny how you can really appreciate the growth of trees here in the mountains. Instead of the two dimensional look you get in the flatlands, you are at the level of many of the tree topss. So, when those trees get a foot or so growth a year, you can really notice it.
When we first moved here, there was a clear view of Clingman's Dome most of the year, from our dining room. Now, we can only see it, and then only through the empty branches, after leaf fall. That was a growth of almost 10 feet over 6 years!
Not complaining, though, because when every other person I knew here was complaining of the heat at their home, those delightful trees shaded us from the afternoon sun, keeping temps almost 20 degrees cooler than in town! We never hit 100 degrees here.
And to think that people still believe Reagan's statement, made when he was president, that "trees cause pollution".
I am hoping for a more intelligent president, after this next election.
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