Fall color and impending doom

This morning, I took some pictures of a pretty maple tree we have in our front yard. These pictures are kind of artsy, in that I took close up shots of the interior of the tree, so that all you see are brances and firey red. The leaves on this tree have turned a uniform orangey-red and it's just beautiful. It has done this in previous years, and it has been this color for a few days now. Yet, it still catches my eye as I walk by the window. It's so vivid!

I appreciate fall, but I do not like fall. I enjoy the cooler temperatures, the drier air, the dramatic swashes of color in the foliage. Autumn is the harbinger of winter, and I cannot ignore this point. I dislike the cold and the dark.

I get depressed with the lack of light. I chill very easily and I don't like being cold. This is why I hate winter.

I have tried to make peace with winter. When I lived in upstate New York, I figured I had to, as a matter of survival. I ice skated (which I actually know how to do, thanks to phys ed class in college), and I took Cross Country ski lessons. I bought the most expensive coats and gloves I could afford. To no avail. Even with my heart pounding in physical exercise, my fingers and toes can be numb with cold. Yes, they are wrapped up in several layers of gloves, socks, mittens, and boots.

My solution to this hatred was to move south. For nearly 15 years I lived in North Carolina, where I enjoyed balmy temperatures throughout the year. OK, I'm exaggerating - it did get cold for about 6-8 weeks, and then it was over with. And when it did snow or ice, everyone shut everything down. No work, no school, nothing. I consider this very civilized (I do concede that this is impractical for more northern parts of the country).

Woe to me when my husband decided to take a permanent position with a company in Kansas. Once again, I am finding myself having to make peace with winter. This time, I am finding ways to be happy while being inside. Winter is a productive time for quilting and sewing. Maybe my utilization of Netflix will improve.

If my blogging has a tone of gloom and doom for the next 5-6 months, the weather may have something to do with it.