Autumn's Fire, Winter's Doldrums!

I'd like Autumn more if Winter didn't slip through the door at the end, riding on its coattails.

I love the idea of celebrating the Seasons, and savoring their individual joys, symbols, and attributes, but I have a tough time with winter because it's COLD out there!

If it's cold with tons of snow everywhere, great. If it's cold with the glittering remnants of an icestorm transforming the landscape into faerie magic, great. But if it is just runny-nose, teeth-grindingly cold all the time, my spirits take a bit of a beating. (Of course, the fact that I don't have central heating doesn't help the matter much, but that's a different story.) Here it comes - my innate positivity pushing to the surface, irritating me by reminding me how wonderful it is to walk in winter woods. You really see the structure of the trees, the branches, and the majesty of the boulders in places like the Sourlands and the Witherspoon Woods. My heart is beating a little faster in anticipation.

But for now, I will revel in autumn's colors festooning the landscape, and perhaps press a leaf or two in my journal for remembrance.

Last year, I took leaves from my red Japanese maple and ironed them between two sheets of wax paper, which cooperated by melting together and trapping the leaves inside. It hangs in one of my windows. I also took some wrapping paper with what looked like a Victorian Aesthetic period pattern on it, and with some more red maple leaves and a few sprinkles of tasteful gold confetti, made a book cover for one of the journals I sell at a local gallery during the holidays.

I am trying to think of a craft I can do for Thanksgiving with one of my dearest friends ever, who is, alas, despite her many perfections of character and intellect, craft-resistant. I will post the results if I am successful.