An Almanack horoscope suggests that the many seasons in the landscape of this time of year offer contrast and cheer to the darkening days.
Early November marks the center of the Season of Second Spring: sweet Cicely, Virginia creeper, burdock, red clover, waterleaf, ground ivy, celandine, sweet rocket, dock and leafcup often revive and look ahead six months to Middle Spring.
Deer Mating Season coincides with Witch Hazel Blooming Season, and the Season of Red Berries throughout the parks as dogwoods, hawthorns, bayberry and flowering crabs reveal their color. Soon Winter Wheat Greening Season greens the fields as Bluebird Migrating Season and Cricketsong Season close. At bird feeders, Junco Season adds juncos to the sparrows and cardinals. On the high wires Sparrow Hawk Season arrives.
In the greenhouse, Jade Tree Flowering Season and Aloe flowering season complement the gathering tide of Christmas Cactus Flowering Season.
Along the West Coast, the annual Crab Harvest Season parallels early Poinsettia Season in the Midwest. Crawdad Season starts in Louisiana, with crawdads moving into flooded rice fields to feed on the remnants of that crop.
The more seasons of Late Fall you can follow, the greater your defenses against the next month’s Early Winter, and the easier it may be to hunker down by the fire, away from S.A.D, to enjoy the hermitage of the cold and snow.
This is Bill Felker with Poor Will’s Almanack. I’ll be back again next week with notes for the second week of Late Fall. In the meantime, look for the prophesies of Second Spring, the first promises of April to come that appear in the reblooming weeds of November.
