It's been very mild lately, yet the grey skies and steady winds really make it feel somber. Wood smoke and a light fog hang around the ridges. A crew was working on the hillside cutting timber and hauling out some logs. The whir of chainsaws seemed to drown out the wind, but as I moved up the road, the sound of the chainsaw was muted. I had to make sure I stopped once in a while to just listen to the dried leaves rustling. It was somewhat eerie as I heard no birds. A storm was coming in and I sensed they were getting ready to wait it out.
I came across an old sickle bar mower right by the side of the road. I could tell it was there a long time as trees were growing through its frame. The thought crossed my mind briefly to look it over closely, but it is not my property. Though it isn't posted land, one must always respect boundaries.
I continued up Spook Hill. I was getting hot walking up the steep grade (10% or better). I took off my sweater. As I got to the top I turned around. Only then did I realized that we had a strong southerly breeze. As I looked out over the valley, I could see a storm coming in. The air was heavy with mist. Periodically, a stray raindrop came down. I walked down the hill. With the wind blowing on me, I got cold. I put my sweater back on and walked down the road.
By the time I got back home, it was starting to drizzle. It was a quiet, retrospective walk - a good one for gathering your thoughts.
Winter is not far away. Once it hits, I will cease my walks up Spook Hill. I await our first snowfall . . .
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