As I write this, it is 63 degrees in my house. The thermometer in the back yard reads 71. The sun is too low in the sky to get over the trees and our home stays in a perpetual state of shade. I am sorry to say, we are preparing for winter. The boats have been pulled, we’ve begun yanking down the storm windows and the two cords of wood we ordered fill the cutout in the driveway. Being frugal Yankees though, we can’t even consider turning on the heat yet. It’s the time of year we wear our sweaters inside, taking them off when we leave the house, donning them again when we return.
Experience has taught me well. The best way to get rid of the chill is to get out from under the trees and today, when I returned home to a cold house after the Monday a.m. volunteer stint, I chose not to stay. Instead I grabbed the camera.
In the car, the sun heated the air while a cracked window delivered a sharp freshness I drew deep into my lungs. The fleece jacket on the seat beside me remained untouched while a trip around town to capture some October images delivered its own, internal warmth.
