Halcyon Days

The fourteen days preceeding the winter solstice are referred to as Halcyon Days. In ancient times, the belief was that this bird, a kingfisher, nested on the sea, which it calmed in order to lay its eggs on a floating nest. For this reason, the ancients expected the weather to be calm around the winter solstice. Ultimately, the term "halcyon" came to mean calmness or peacefulness.

I mentioned previously that I'm not all that fond of winter. Still, I think these last, short days of the year are a wonderful time to reflect and look forward to lengthening days and more sunshine. I am a Christian, but I observe the solstice as well. I see no conflict here. Rather, it is another way of marking time and remembering to be grateful for all the wonderful gifts we have in the natural world.

photo licenced by david meeker

Nebraska November

Just some images of late fall.

"Who loves a garden, still his Eden keeps, Perennial pleasures plants, and wholesome harvests reaps." --A. Bronson Alcott

Autumn has arrived early in the Heartland. I believe we are going to have an early and long winter. All summer long I have been watching for a doe with a single fawn. All of them have twins or triplets.

The walnut and oak trees are just sagging with nuts this year. While walking among the Bur Oaks this morning, I gathered acorn caps which are all triplets. Normally, they would be singles or twinned.

The geese have been flocking for two weeks now. There is such a sense of excitement and urgency when they are gathering, getting ready, and eating to fuel their journey. It gives me a serious case of wanderlust.

I have been staying at the country home of a friend. Watching her dogs and cats and horses while she attends the 50th Anniversary Party for her parents. The last few mornings have been breathtaking. Fog was nestled into the hollows and low over the fields. The rising sun cast beautiful pinks and violets into the sky. A mama bobcat and her two kits have been sleeping on the top of my car! Thankfully, they haven't tried to sharpen their claws on it, there is just some wild kitty fur sticking to the fabric.

On an excursion around the property, I spotted two different bucks with their hareems of doe and all those fawns, a group of wild turkeys, and some prairie voles. This is my favorite season. I wish I liked winter, even a little, but I don’t. So, I’m soaking Autumn in as long as I can. I know that the calendar says it hasn’t started yet but, well, the calendar is wrong.

That reminds me of an elderly gentleman I once knew. Gustav Andres was his name. Gus, as we called him, ran away from his home in Saffle Sweden at the age of ten because he hated fish. Saffle is a fishing village and he actually believed that since he was one of twelve kids, no one would miss him. He stowed away on a ship and came to America. He lived to be 96 years old and talking with him was always fun and interesting. He insisted that God only made two seasons: winter and summer. The others were “manmade”. I guess this would make sense when you come from the land of midnight sun.