Alas it is November. The days really are flying by -as are the yellow and orange leaves as they start their graceful descents to the ground. My front and back yards are covered in these sunshine colored leaves, waiting to be raked into piles, then jumped into by eager young children. On the trees many still remain but they won't for much longer. My little white house sits atop of a tall hill. When the trees are full we can see no one out back and no one can see us. We can watch the deer graze, the little squirrels, chipmunks, and bunnies run around, play and gather food. We have the most amazing birds that flutter by and stop to say hello as they grab a bite from the little feeder we've hung for them. We become encapsulated by vibrant, lush green foliage. And as the leaves begin to fall we become, little by little, exposed to the neighbors, the town below and, just beyond, the Long Island Sound where we can watch the ferries travel back and forth from Bridgeport, Connecticut to Port Jefferson, New York. The early morning sunrises are magnificent, as are the sunsets. During wintertime we love to watch the streets below, as everything becomes illuminated. 

This time last year we sat in the living room and watched as the leaves fell from the trees in rapid progression. A massive hurricane had just slammed into the East Coast. From inside you could hear the winds whipping and the rain pelting. Branches cracking and trees falling outside made for a very unsettling night. And then a pop, a small boom and out went the lights on top of the hill. Down below, was still brightly lit, and we sat and watched the emergency vehicles patroling down below, wishing that we too had our lights on. We knew we would be in the dark for the long haul. And suddenly, all went dark below as well. We had no Halloween last year. Our beach homes were devastated, roads flooded, trees downed... It looked like a warzone out there.

From the same window, several months later, we watched as the snows started to fall and seemed never to stop, dumping over 3 feet, leaving us unable to open doors, or leave our homes. And then started the big dig that seemed to take forever. And then, we watched as the snows slowly started to melt and finally the ground started to poke through - patches of green here and there. Eventually the trees would start to bloom and the long, harsh winter would bid us adieu.

Now we've come full circle. Outside the dark grey sky forms a harsh contrast to the bright leaves. There's a momentary lull in the air - all is still - before the rains come... Outside it looks like November - how do you describe November? The leaves have passed their peak. Halloween is over. Tricks have been tricked and treats have been treated. Costumes have been left on piles on the floor. School is well underway. Everyone's fallen into their routine... the days are getting shorter. Much shorter. And darker. Much darker. I'm thinking ahead to more days spent inside... inside cuddling up with the children, in front of the fire, watching movies and eating popcorn - only Jiffy Pop for us! When was the last time you had Jiffy Pop? Trust me, you'll never go back to the microwave stuff again! We'll start creating our Thanksgiving menu and cooking warm, satisfying meals, hearty soups and baking delectable treats. I love the aromas that come from the kitchen once the temperatures start to dip... I become sort of a homebody when the weather turns chilly and I love it!