The first snowfall of the season came early this year, with about a half inch falling Sunday.
November was barely half over and perhaps we weren't quite ready for it, but the sky darkened and fine flakes began to fall just before noon. The flakes grew larger and fell pretty steadily through the early afternoon until the ground was covered with a dusting of white. It didn't stick on the streets and sidewalks but, when I went out to do an errand that evening, I had to hunt up the ice scraper and clear the car windshield and windows.
We've had a spell of unusually cold weather this past week, with temperatures in the teens and twenties at night and highs struggling to make it above freezing. A low of only 8 or 9 was forecast for Monday night. The cold has caused the leaves from the maples and the pecan in the back yard to come scattering down and a silence has descended over the earth. The busy chattering of birds we heard only a couple of months ago has quieted, but I did hear the calls of a flock of geese headed south a few days ago.
Joyce Hifler, who wrote the Think on These Things columns in the Tulsa World for years, said of autumn, "We have to remember that there is a time to work and a time to rest. Nature knows it by instinct but we have to learn sometimes. There is a time for everything, a purpose to everything under heaven. Enjoy life and let none of it go to waste."
Our noted Ozarks author Fred Starr said that surely this should be the farmer's choice of seasons. His fields no longer need plowing. His hay is already stored in the barn. All that can be done to prepare for the coming winter has been done. "Let the winds blow and the snows fly!" he wrote. "He can mend away on his harness in the warmness of his barn, or putter away the time in his shop. And when he grows weary of well doing, he can play checkers with the boys down at the village store, or curl up in the rocker and catch up on the reading of his farm paper."
Likewise, the farmer's wife can sigh with contentment, knowing the bulk of her labor for the year is over. Now she can sit before the fire and work on her quilting and sewing without the garden crying to be hoed, berries begging to be picked and the flowers looking neglected because of weeds crowding in. The shelves in the cellar are lined with her canned fruits and vegetables, jams and jellies.
We are glad that some still put up their produce as I've been enjoying a jar of carrot cake jam one of Jim's customers gave us . Another friend has contributed a jar of strawberry jelly.
Some of those plump orange pumpkins that many bought to decorate their doorsteps have now been turned into goodies for the table. A friend shared her pumpkin muffins with me last week, made even healthier with the addition of some seaweed. Then, our desserts at quilt class Saturday were pumpkin pie and some pumpkin cookies I baked. I frosted them with coconut pecan icing and they went over pretty well as I brought only two home. Garden show host P. Allen Smith says fall is his favorite time to entertain and he loves cooking with pumpkin, so his column in this month's About You magazine features a recipe for pumpkin mac and cheese.
Last week was an unusually busy week with a school board meeting Monday night, Veterans Day programs at two schools, a library commission meeting Tuesday and a celebration of the life of Pat Baldwin Wednesday evening. Thursday morning I went with Jim to jobs at Garden Walk apartments and to a friend's house and that evening attended the committee of the whole meeting. My sister Nancy dropped by a few minutes Friday evening, and Saturday I went to the candy shop open house shortly before noon and to quilt class in the afternoon.
Football season for our Gravette Lions is over after a loss on the long trip to Warren Friday night. Now those young men who participate in both sports can turn their attention to basketball.
The Razorbacks did manage a pretty convincing win over LSU Saturday, so we're hoping for another win this weekend to gain them a bowl bid. The Hogs too have already begun playing basketball, with their first game a win over Alabama State Sunday.
Susan Holland is a reporter for the Westside Eagle Observer. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 11/19/2014