Photos of quilts with scarecrows are quickly being replaced by fellow quilters who are now posting their quilts with snowmen, in online venues. It is true. Late fall is quickly giving way to an early winter as the first snow is predicted today in New England. It’s time “to batten down the hatches,” as they say, and think about the holidays, making gifts, decorating, cooking and baking, and planning reunions with friends and family.
The transition of seasons seems to sneak up on us in this part of the country. Not long ago, we were enjoying the brilliant foliage. Today, again, the trees are “standing naked in a row,” and the “warriors of winter give a cold triumphant shout” (words from the song “Urge for Going” sung by Joni Mitchell). The song says that “all that stays is dying; all that lives is getting out.” That is almost true. Today, a good friend will wend her way back to the Sunny South to spend the winter in a warmer clime. I don’t blame her. When I lived in Arizona, I wondered what all the chatter was about “Snow Birds” until I realized that the words are a euphemism for retired folks who “winter” among the cacti and return to cooler climes during summer months.
As for Jim and I, we are happy to stay put. Our fall project of making over a little-used space in our home and transforming it into a “cozy den,” as I call it, has our utmost attention. Jim has one more coat of poly-acrylic to apply to the knotty pine board walls he installed, and much more insulating to do. The space was previously unheated altogether. We plan to install an electric fireplace that should be more than adequate for the 150 square foot space.
Two wild turkeys of a flock of fifteen seen from our back window this week parade past a granite sitting bench that sits above the old millstream, assembled by James Cummings and James Patrick Gorham. In the Spring, melting snow increases the volume of rushing water in this area in a swoosh that is very audible; at other times, the sound is pleasant and soothing.
The back windows of the room provide a view of the old millstream. Our main theme for decorating is based on the idea of bringing “Nature” into the space by installing a window bird feeder, an aquarium, and houseplants with a grow light (since it is a room that receives no direct sunlight). Of course, the poly-acrylic treatment for the walls was chosen because it is the best barrier to prevent wood acids from leaching into the quilts that will decorate the walls as part of the room’s decor.
Our food choices seems to change with the seasons, too. Potato salad and lunch meats, barbecued hamburgers and boiled hot dogs are being replaced with homemade soups and stews and homemade bread, roasted root vegetables, and favorite pasta dishes like Lasagna and Chicken Casserole, staples of our winter fare. Since crisp new apples are readily available from the orchard right now, they are finding their way into many items we are cooking or baking. We are revisiting our pumpkin recipes as well.
Fall is a time to celebrate the fruits of the earth and to be thankful for all the gifts that provide and enhance the quality of life, including you! Take a look around you today. Instead of concentrating on what you don’t have or what you wish to own, take time to enjoy the people and things that surround you. If you have any doubt as to the goodness of life, just take a walk and enjoy the still-blooming flowers – in my case, the Dahlias in our garden that will soon be snow-covered. If you are lucky, you can look out your window and observe wildlife, scurrying to find a bite to eat. Like the flowers of the field that neither toil nor spin, as described in the Holy Bible, animals are dependent on the Author of Life for their subsistence. It is a comfort to see birds and animals surviving by their own steady work of gathering bits and pieces of whatever the earth has to offer.
A simple key to Happiness is to develop a spirit of thankfulness and you can begin to feel like the richest person on earth!
P.S. We plan to set up our Christmas tree in one corner of this “new” den this year! Can’t wait. 
Patricia Cummings
