September and May are my favourite months. May, fresh and tender with new growth; September's maturely wistful, mellow air. The light in both months has a soft golden quality, the sun lower in the sky.
There is uneasiness in my heart though. Weather patterns seem to be changing, and although I know climate change and weather patterns are not the same thing, still there seems to be something going on. The last few years we have had bitingly cold winters, an unseasonably hot, dry spell in spring/early summer, followed by wet, windy summers and flood-prone autumns. Everywhere I hear people exclaiming about the unusual weather, not just here in the UK but all around the world. Droughts, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, prematurely melting ice. Something is going on. And it disturbs me.
Here on the calm, mild days the sun is interspersed with gentle rain and it seems like a normal September. But in exposed places, traumatised trees have had still-green leaves torn away by the fierce winds. In the garden there are few signs of dew-dropped spider webs in the morning. All their careful weavings have been torn and battered down by storms.
The swallows have already left, and no doubt the martens will follow shortly. I pray they will find safe passage to their winter homes. Soon the winter flocks of starlings will be in evidence again. Hopefully this winter won't be so harsh for them.
I hope my fears are unfounded. But I worry about stormy times ahead. In the meantime I harvest fruit from garden and hedgerows, bottling, jamming, pickling, chutneying, drying and brewing it into store cupboard goodies for the cold months. What else can we do but prepare as well as we can for the lean times, whilst hoping for the best?
9 comments:
You are right, something is afoot, and the most we can do is prepare. Life as usual.
I love the "sheep(s)".
Good post.
I feel exactly the same, and its unsettling isnt it?
Leanne x
lovely blog, shall link it to my own www.notjustamummy.wordpress.com/
i found ur mabon alter pic thru google and was hoping to use it as an example altar for my post tomoro
Hi notjustamummy - you can use my photo but please give credit (copyright Susan Moonroot). Thanks!
i have nominated you for versatile blogger award, to accept follow my link
http://notjustamummy.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/versatile-blogger-award/
What a thoughtful post. I wonder if it is the same thing that makes animals build thicker nests ahead of cold winters, migrate earlier, or hide before a thunderstorm that is in us, making us slightly uneasy about the oddness of the weather the past few years?
I agree I've been thinking this as well because I always look forward to the summer holidays because I need my sunshine. Unfortunately I've not had enough to keep my reptilian blood warm. We can only blame the people who deny global warming and accept the natural change of seasons. At least we'll be gone when the next ice age is completely here. If global warming lets it happen.
wow...lean times and what I hear is abundance you have soo much. You are able to co-create with natures fruits. How many of us can say we do this? The world is upside down and backwards with regards to projecting a false sense of wealth. jars or pickles jams etc in the coming winter months how wonderful. And love the picture of sloe's :o)
i credited u and have put a link to ur blog under my blogrool (found on the right side of my page)
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